


Our dawn is hotter than day

by mainlysushi



Series: Atypical Romance [3]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, hoshi is a star and we all know it, minor jicheol bcos why not, this was supposed to be based on stardust but i got lazy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2019-06-14 08:29:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 32,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15384795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mainlysushi/pseuds/mainlysushi
Summary: Seungcheol wished upon a falling star. He just didn't expect for the star to materialise in front of him.





	1. Star light, star bright

**Author's Note:**

> Allo! I'm back at it again! ^^ This was somehow inspired by Stardust but not entirely! LOL. Hope this'll turn out well. Huehue~
> 
> +++we need more sooncheol in our lives! (///u\\\\\\\\\\)

He should have been asleep by now. They were leaving for Busan in the morning for a little adventure and albeit the short car ride, Seungcheol still prefers to be well-rested for the almost two-hour travel.

Tonight seemed to be not his night though as sleep was annoyingly hiding from him. Seungcheol stared at his bland white ceiling, noticing again the blotches of cream from years of accumulated dust whilst his mind hazily wandered off to here and there. He blinked once, twice and then sighed for how many times that night. He couldn’t sleep no matter what he do.

Maybe it was his nerves keeping him wide awake, he thought to himself. He turned to his side and cocooned himself further in his duvet. He had graduated from high school a few months ago and would be starting university in the fall. Unlike his other classmates, he had opted for a later start in order to regain a bit of his strength and enjoy his momentary carefree life. He was spending his days teaching little kids on how to play basketball for the summer, a job which didn’t exactly seemed like a job to him.

He had played the sport ever since he was young and had been part of his school’s team for almost the entire duration of his school life. He was even made captain during his senior year in both middle school and high school. He had been pretty popular because of that and had even been scouted from a number of universities. To his father’s - as well as his coach’s - disappoint though, he had politely declined the offers, wanting an ordinary college life. His mother had never been so proud of his youngest.

Seungcheol wasn’t a bad kid. He was a good student, had many friends, and has a pretty outgoing personality. Logically, there was no reason for Seungcheol to be nervous with starting university. School hadn’t been exactly hard for him yet somehow, just a teeny tiny bit, the idea of entering university and paving a path towards his future was a bit overwhelming.

Was he excited? Or was he anxious for his new environment? University  _ is _ different from high school, especially the ones in Seoul. But a school would always be a school at the end of the day. There wouldn’t be much difference aside from the pressure they all would surely be experiencing. He’s honestly confused why he’s so bothered about it all.

He then grabbed for his phone and squinted to check the time. It was a little half past four in the morning. His friends would be picking him up around nine and by the looks of it, Seungcheol wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink at all. His nerves were just too all over the place for his body to even think of relaxing. He laid his phone back on the nightstand and sighed again. “No use in trying,” he mumbled to himself as he made to get out of his bed.

He took out a thin cardigan from his closet and wore it over his nightshirt before opening his window. The chilly summer night breeze hit his skin, goosebumps forming from his arms up to his neck. He breathed out a long sigh. His mind was already clearing.

Seungcheol then climbed out of his window and made his way towards their roof. Sitting on their rooftop was a nasty habit of his whenever he couldn’t sleep ever since his older brother had taught him on how to be rebellious. It was their well-kept secret. If their mother knew of his little excursions, she’d definitely have a fit. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought.

He sat down on his spot and carefully laid back on the tiled roof. His gaze travelled across the wide expanse of the night sky. Tonight it was littered with stars, shining brightly in the heavens. He could make out a few constellations his brother had told him about and was amused to see how Draco seemed to be extraordinarily bright tonight. His lips quirked at the feisty dragon. Seungcheol then somehow felt a little calm.

A shooting star then caught his eye. Within a heartbeat, he has his eyes closed and was thinking of a wish. He knew it was childish - wishing upon a falling star - but old habits die hard. There was nothing wrong with believing no matter how old you are after all, he mused.

“Star light, star bright. First star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might. Have the wish, I wish tonight,” he mumbled the silly nursery rhyme. He took a deep breath and exhaled. He opened his eyes, his gaze thoughtful at the starry night sky. “I wish I could confess to the one I love,” he found himself saying, his words seemingly coming from his heart.

As his words died down in the silence of the night, Seungcheol then knew it was a wish he had wanted to do ever since. He had been confessed to numerous times - he had rejected each and every of these confessions - but regrettably had never been the one confessing. Seungcheol sighed. Maybe that was why he felt his high school life was unaccomplished. He had never enjoyed the youthful experience of confessing, had never risked his heart, and had never taken the plunge for his feelings. He had played it safe and now, with the stars gazing down on him, Seungcheol felt a strange emptiness in his heart. He was hollow on the inside - cold and empty with no chance of ever being warm. He sighed again.

He stared at the yellow light peeking from the horizon. The dawn was approaching and he wouldn’t want to be caught by anyone whilst he’s on the roof. He stood up and dusted some dirt off his clothes.

Suddenly, an extremely bright light blinded his sight. He closed his eyes and waited until the flash of light subsided. Once it did, Seungcheol slowly opened his eyes.

His gaze fell upon bright, silver hair and dark brown eyes seemingly like crescents. Seungcheol’s eyes widened in surprise. There was a _person_ in front of him. His gaze unconsciously glanced down towards the other’s feet and that was when he realised their feet weren’t on the roof. His feet were practically standing on air. His gaze instantly went back to almond eyes, his shock growing by the second.

There was a person  _ floating _ in front of him.

His mouth hung agape, words failing to form on his lips.

He’s freaking  _ flying _ like Son Goku!

The silver haired guy beamed at him, his cheeks puffing like the clouds.

“I’m Hoshi,” he said, his right hand extending towards Seungcheol. “And your wish is my command!” he added, winking at him.

Seungcheol stared at the outstretched hand and then back to those alluring dark brown orbs. He then saw patches of blue, violet, and black at the corner of his eyes. “Oh,” he mumbled dumbly. He realised he was seconds away from fainting.

As vertigo hit him, the last thing Seungcheol remembered before he succumbed into the darkness were alluring almond eyes twinkling like the stars smiling down at him.

“See you later, my little Coup. We have a lot to do for your wish to come true!”

Seungcheol just numbly nodded his head, his eyes closing shut. Sleep had finally visited him and he was honestly grateful for it.


	2. Am I still dreaming?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He blinked once, twice, and then thrice. He honestly couldn’t believe it.
> 
> Silver hair, almond eyes, and a smile so bright which could rival the sun - it was as if his dream was replaying right in front of his eyes.

Seungcheol stirred in his sleep. He wanted to get a few more minutes of sleep but the incessant ringing of his phone was making it impossible to do so. He reached for the annoying device and glared at the name flashing on his screen. He swiped the green button and held the phone against his ear. “What?” he grumbled, clearly miffed he was awoken from his sleep. “Good morning to you too, princess!” Jisoo, his annoying yet still tolerable of a best friend, singsonged from the other line. Seungcheol just grunted a response as he slowly sat up from his bed.

“Just want to tell you that Jun and I are turning in your street right about now,” the other told him. He could only roll his eyes at his best friend’s way too cheery voice so early in the morning. “So get your royal ass out of bed now!” Jisoo continued, ignoring Seungcheol’s obvious grumpiness. The latter nodded his head. “Yeah, yeah,” he replied and then hanged up, not bothering to wait for Jisoo’s response at all. He knew he was grumpy and didn’t have to throw his frustration at Jisoo but he had always hated mornings. It was admittedly one of his weaknesses.

Sighing deeply, Seungcheol dragged himself out of his bed and started to get ready. He already knew this day was going to be a long one.

 

**

He stared at his reflection on the mirror. There were dark circles under his eyes,  a clear indicator of his struggle to sleep on most nights. Insomnia doesn’t look good on him.

Seungcheol was only eighteen but he felt older than his age at the moment. He was being paranoid. He knew he shouldn’t be stressing about entering university but he honestly couldn’t help it. There was something amiss in his life that he couldn’t pinpoint or explain and his impending future was weighing heavily on his shoulders; it was honestly a lot to take in.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips.

His thoughts then wandered off towards last night. Shiny silver hair and dark brown almond eyes entered his mind. He rolled his eyes and scoffed. Clearly it was only a dream. A guy floating in mid-air? That was _beyond_ impossible!

He shook his head and splashed some cold water onto his face. “That was just a dream, Choi Seungcheol,” he told himself. “You’re obviously too stressed out lately, maybe that’s why you’re confusing dreams with reality,” he said, looking straight into his own doe eyes.

With a nod and feeling refreshed, Seungcheol went out of the bathroom. On his way back to his room, he could faintly hear Jisoo’s voice from downstairs, most likely talking to his mother. Jisoo had always been such a talker. He could only amusedly roll his eyes.

He changed into light distressed jeans and a simple white shirt. He then grabbed for his favourite red cap and wore it, hiding his light brown hair.

Dyeing his hair had been a weird whim. Although the bleach was awfully painful, the colour it turned into was pretty nice. Seungcheol thought he looked good with light hair. His mother thought otherwise.

He then took his duffel bag and slung the strap over his shoulder. Seeing as he got everything, he grabbed for his denim jacket and jogged down the stairs.

“See you in four days, mom!” Seungcheol told his mom as he kissed her cheek by way of a greeting. “What about breakfast, Cheol? I know Busan is only a few hours away but you guys still need to eat something,” the elder woman commented.

Seungcheol was about to reply but Jisoo had beat him to it. “As much as we want to, Auntie, but we really do need to get going. Our check-in time is at lunch and if we miss it, we don’t know where we’ll stay!” he told her. But the elder still seemed reluctant to let them leave without proper nourishment. “We’ll grab a bite on the way, don’t worry!” Seungcheol tried to appease her.

His mother then conceded. “Drive safely, okay?” she told them. Both boys nodded their heads obediently.

“Bye Auntie! See you again soon!” Jisoo said whilst giving her a quick hug. Seungcheol then hugged his mother. “I’ll watch over those two. Don’t worry too much, okay?” he smiled reassuringly at her. The elder woman just laughed and nodded her head fondly.

The two then walked out of his house and towards where Jun has parked the car. His uncle was gracious enough to let them borrow his car for their short vacation. As long as Jun would return it without a scratch, he’s fine with it. Perks of having a rich guardian, really. At least they didn’t have to pay for gas.

He greeted Jun with a half-hug and the other returned the gesture. “Nice to see you up and early, princess,” Jun teased him with a smile. Seungcheol merely rolled his eyes affectionately.

He couldn’t exactly remember when Jun and Jisoo started calling him ‘princess’  and the reason behind it. As annoying as it was though, the nickname just stuck and Seungcheol had no choice but to reluctantly get used to it. He’s already used to their teasing anyway. Adding an annoying nickname to their quirks was nothing. They’ve all been close friends since middle school after all.

Walking past Jun, he then noticed an unfamiliar person sitting at the back of the car. “Who’s he?” he asked Jisoo as the two of them opened the trunk and stored Seungcheol’s duffel bag inside along with the rest of their things.

“Jun’s cousin. He invited him last minute,” was Jisoo’s carefree reply.

Seungcheol tried not to groan out loud. This trip was spontaneous enough, having another person - a stranger to boot! - with them was bordering on the edges of his patience. He closed his eyes and reigned in his annoyance.

The three of them hadn’t had the chance to go out that much since Jun and Jisoo started university. This was supposed to be their little adventure - just the three of them, just the three musketeers like they always did in the past. But as peeved as Seungcheol was, he wouldn’t let the stranger - Jun’s cousin or not - ruin this trip for them.

Having decided, he then opened the door to the back of the car. He was about to enter the car when he suddenly froze in great shock. His gaze landed on bright silver locks and dark brown eyes like crescents. He blinked once, twice, and then thrice. He _honestly_ couldn’t believe it.

Silver hair, almond eyes, and a smile so bright which could rival the sun - it was as if his dream was replaying right in front of his eyes. Minus the floating in mid-air part of course. Now that was _certainly_ an indication he was only dreaming. But the person in front of him - Jun’s cousin - was real like himself and everything else around him. He mentally chided himself for thinking too much about his dream.

Doe eyes then met almond orbs and Seungcheol felt a jolt in his chest. The person’s eyes were twinkling, dazzlingly sparkling like a “-byul,” Seungcheol found himself saying.

His eyes widened when he realised he said it out loud. His cheeks immediately flushed in embarrassment. Jisoo and Jun stared at him weirdly but the other person was practically beaming at him, his cheeks puffing like a hamster’s.

“Close,” the stranger told him. He extended a hand towards Seungcheol, his smile growing impossibly wider. “The name is Hoshi,” he introduced himself. “It also means ‘star’ but in Japanese.”

Seungcheol just dumbly nodded his head, too speechless to even think of a reply. _‘He has the same name as the guy in my dreams,_ ’ he thought as he continued to stare at Hoshi. His thoughts were whirling and twirling and freaking confusing. ‘ _Am I still dreaming?’_ he mentally asked himself, his brows furrowing deeply together. His eyes glanced down towards Hoshi’s feet. _‘But he isn’t floating like last night?’_

“We’re ready when you are, Cheolie~” Jisoo’s voice reeled him back from his thoughts. He shook his head and cleared his throat. “Yeah. Okay,” was all he could muster to say before finally getting inside the car.

As Jun started to drive away from his house, Seungcheol glanced towards Hoshi and studied him closely. _‘He really looks like the guy in my dreams,’_ he couldn’t help but muse. He shook his head and sighed. “I think I’m going crazy,” he mumbled to himself.

He then decided to listen to some music. He took out his earphones and plugged it in his phone. _‘Maybe music would help clear my mind.’_

His mind was seriously playing tricks on him, mixing dreams up with reality. He already has a lot on his plate. He didn’t need to stress himself even more because of a silly dream.

And with that in mind, he slowly eased himself into his seat and stared out of the window, eyes dazedly watching the scenery. Busan was only a two-hour drive from Daegu. They’d be there in no time.

 

**

With his music blaring and his mind wandering, Seungcheol missed the smirk which had appeared on Hoshi’s face. The silver-haired was clearly amused.

If anyone would look closer, they would be able to see a certain glint in his almond eyes which could make anything impossible into the possible.

It was magic.

And Hoshi was ready to use it.


	3. It was not a dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You wished upon a falling star, remember?”
> 
> And Seungcheol absolutely did. He certainly wished on a falling star last night.

Seungcheol felt a poke on his cheek. He scrunched up his face and swatted the hand away from his face. He was about to drift off again when the poking returned.

Growing annoyed, he opened his eyes and glared at the culprit. He took out his earphones and grounded out: “What?”

Hoshi pouted at him. He rolled his eyes and stretched out a hand towards Seungcheol. “I’m Hoshi,” he told him. Seungcheol raised an unamused brow. “I know,” he said, confused with his antics. “You mentioned that earlier.”

The other huffed at his reply and shoved his outstretched hand onto Seungcheol’s face. He instinctively swatted the annoying hand away.

“It’s common courtesy to introduce yourself when you meet new people, you know,” Hoshi said, lips pouting again.

That was when Seungcheol realised he hasn’t introduced himself to the other yet. He cursed under his breath for being rude. His parents hadn’t raised him to be so ill-mannered. He could practically hear Jisoo and Jun snickering at the front. He threw his best friends an annoyed glare.

He then stared back at Hoshi apologetically. “I’m Choi Seungcheol,” he sheepishly told him, his hand finally shaking the other’s outstretched one. He was desperately trying not to blush but feeling the heat on his cheeks was evidence enough his face was flushed. He was seriously embarrassed.

Hoshi then beamed at him and enthusiastically shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Choi Seungcheol,” he said. “Let’s make this trip memorable, yeah?” he added, his smile shining brighter.

Seungcheol just nodded, a little taken aback with Hoshi’s cheerfulness. He emanates brightness just like any star in the universe. Everything about just screams out ‘ _shiny_.’ His silver hair was bright enough to blind him. There was even a certain twinkle in his eyes which didn’t bode well with Seungcheol.

He’s a bit strange too. One minute he’s pouting, and the next he’s grinning like a kid on Christmas day. And now it seems like he’s forgiven Seungcheol for being rude earlier. Seungcheol just shook his head, chuckling under his breath. Hoshi’s way too carefree for his own good.

 _‘This guy’s definitely a weird one,’_ he mused.

 

**

They had arrived at their hotel just in time to check in. Jun and Jisoo were in one room which left Seungcheol to room with Hoshi. He wasn’t opposed to rooming with the other but his stomach just kept on churning at the thought of it.

Despite breaking the ice with Hoshi, Seungcheol was honestly still a little apprehensive of the silver haired.

Hoshi was quite loud, singing each and every song which would play on the radio. Even if he sings the wrong lyrics or when he’s off-key, he’d just continue to confidently sing the song from start to finish. If he’s unfamiliar with the song, he’d just hum along.

He was also a bit playful. He had joked with Jun and Jisoo like they had known each other for years. It was honestly alarming for Seungcheol. Jisoo had found a companion to his mischiefs.

His quirks aside, Hoshi had given him the impression of mystery. Even though he was Jun’s cousin, he could hardly remember his name being mentioned by his best friend before. It’s as if he had _just_ appeared out of thin air.

Another thing that’s boggling him was the twinkle in Hoshi’s almond eyes. Every time he’d glance his way, there was this certain twinkle in his eyes which gives off a creepy feeling to Seungcheol. There was just something _off_ about Hoshi; an entirely different persona from what he appears to be.

 

**

He could feel eyes on him. Seungcheol adamantly ignored it. If Hoshi wanted to say something, he should be the one to broach the topic. Not Seungcheol. He doesn’t even know what’s Hoshi thinking. He hardly knew him after all.

Not wanting to give in in asking, he busied himself with unpacking his things.

He heard Hoshi huff. It seemed like being ignored was getting to him.The other then unceremoniously flopped on Seungcheol’s bed. He could only gape at Hoshi’s audacity.

“So who are you in love with?” the silver haired asked, eyes twinkling and curious. Seungcheol frowned at him. “What are saying?” he replied, confused. Hoshi rolled his eyes and stared at him, unamused. “You wanted to confess to the one you love, right? So which one is it? Jun? Or is it Jisoo?”

Seungcheol’s jaw dropped. He was not expecting _that_. Not at all. He was seriously floored.

“What the heck are you saying?” he asked, his tone slightly rising. “I never mentioned about confessing!” he added, suddenly getting defensive. “You did,” the other countered. “I did _not_!” Seungcheol adamantly denied. Hoshi raised an eyebrow at him. “You did,” he repeated, voice firm. “Last night,” he continued. “You wished upon a falling star, remember?”

And Seungcheol absolutely did. He certainly wished on a falling star last night. “But how did you know about that?” he voiced out, images from the night before flashing in his mind. He stared at Hoshi with wide eyes. He suddenly felt like a deer caught on headlights, heart stammering inside his chest.

A grin now appeared on Hoshi’s face. It made Seungcheol even more anxious. The twinkle in his eyes had impossibly become more prominent.

“Because I was there,” Hoshi answered him, his arms crossing over his chest. He stared at Seungcheol, amusement clearly playing in his eyes. “I was _that_ falling star.”

He was then hit with the realisation that last night was not a dream at all. It was _real_. Everything that happened last night was real. Everything he saw last night was real. Because Hoshi was real. Oh _so_ real.

Seungcheol then knew their trip wasn’t an ordinary trip anymore. He just wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.


	4. Easier said than done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seungcheol just let himself be pulled by the other. Somehow he knew that’d be the way things would be. Hoshi, after all, is a star. Things gravitate towards stars, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly had to Google if stars have gravity lol. Turns out, they do! Interesting info I never knew I'd ever need lmao :)))
> 
> Anyw! Hope you'd love this chapter! This story might be a slowburn but I'm not entirely sure yet... The plot outline is already finished though so all I need to do is write the chapters lol. Here's to hoping I won't get too sidetracked! I just started learning Chinese by myself so excuse my scattered mind from time to time. Hehee~
> 
> BTW. Congratulations to SEVENTEEN for #OhMy2ndWin! I am always so proud of each and every one of you. You guys deserve all the love in the world ㅠㅠㅠ
> 
> PS. Please stream Oh My MV in YT/Naver and in music sites too if you have access. Thank you! ^^

To anyone watching, they might think the young lad silently watching the waves was enjoying the sea breeze like everybody else visiting Taejongdae. He has his eyes focused on the rolling waves beneath the rocky cliff, his gaze seemingly transfixed and mesmerised with the vast blue of the sea. His posture was relaxed and calm, giving off the impression of serenity and youthfulness in his stature. With the sea, cliffs, and clear sky as backgrounds, it honestly looked like he was posing for a photoshoot. But in truth, he definitely was _not_.

Choi Seungcheol was _not_ enjoying the breeze like the other people around him. Choi Seungcheol was _not_ watching the waves. Choi Seungcheol was _not_ posing for a photoshoot. And for certain, Choi Seungcheol was _not_ calm. _Nor_ was he relaxed. He was seriously _far_ from it.

Unbeknownst to everyone but him - and maybe Hoshi too, Seungcheol was struggling with an inner turmoil an ordinary eighteen year old might not have to ever deal with in their lifetime. His mind has been replaying over and over the events from last night and his earlier conversation with Hoshi in their room. It wasn’t a dream. Hoshi really was a fallen star. He honestly couldn’t believe it.

His gaze went to the source of his whirring mind. Hoshi was laughing and joking around with Jun whilst Jisoo was taking pictures of them and the scenery. Seungcheol pursed his lips pensively. At least his friends were having fun, he humorlessly mused.

A sigh escaped his lips. He closed his eyes and let his thoughts wander back towards his and Hoshi’s conversation earlier.

 

**

“W-what?” Seungcheol choked out. He wasn’t sure he heard it right. “You’re a what?!” he asked, his voice slightly rising in slight panic. Hoshi flashed him a cheeky smile, his eyes turning into crescents. “You wanted to confess to the one you love,” he repeated Seungcheol's wish which made the latter blush in embarrassment. “I heard the sincerity from your wish and so I came to you,” he continued, ignoring Seungcheol’s gaping expression. “I want to help you fulfill your wish!” he concluded, smiling even wider.

Maybe Seungcheol had gone deaf from always listening to loud music. Did Hoshi seriously say he was a fallen star? _The_ fallen star he had wished upon the night before? And that he came here to become Seungcheol’s freaking _Cupid_? He scoffed at incredulousness of it all.

Seungcheol liked joking around like any normal person would but the other’s prank wasn’t funny. Not one bit. He suddenly felt an unbearable emotion bubbling in his chest. Choi Seungcheol was pissed!

He glared at Hoshi, his nostrils flaring in anger. “You think it’s funny, don’t you?” he growled. His fists were closed tightly at his sides. Seungcheol was barely containing his anger. “I don’t know how you knew about my wish - and I seriously don’t care how you did - but back off will you?” he furiously spat. “I don’t need any help confessing - nor do I _want_ to confess! So shut up with all that falling star nonsense! It’s not funny!” he finished, chest huffing and nerves frayed with adrenalin.

Hoshi just stared at him, a pout on his lips. Seungcheol released a sigh. He rarely gets angry and if he does, it tires him out emotionally and mentally. He sifted a hand through his light brown hair and huffed. “We should get going. Jun and Jisoo are probably already waiting for us in the lobby,” he mumbled, turning around towards the door.

Before he could even get a step forward, Seungcheol suddenly found himself disoriented. The room had flipped and he was floating - more like _dangling_ \- in mid-air. He yelped in surprise.

He flailed his arms helplessly, trying to right himself and have his feet plant themselves on the floor. His attempts were sadly futile.

Hoshi snorted from where he was standing. He walked towards Seungcheol and made him turn towards him. “Do you believe me now?” the silver haired asked, eyebrow raised.

How can he not? He was hovering in their freaking hotel room! Seungcheol nodded his head furiously.

The silver haired then snapped his hands and Seungcheol felt gravity again. He closed his eyes, waiting for his head to hit the floor, but the expected impact did not happen. Seungcheol’s body turned itself - like a clock’s hand - and had him standing with his feet finally on solid ground. He sighed in relief.

Opening his eyes, his gaze met with twinkling almond eyes. Seungcheol couldn’t help the scowl which automatically appeared on his face.

“Remind me not to get in your bad side,” he said, lips slightly pouting.

Hoshi just laughed a hearty laugh. He threw his arm over Seungcheol’s shoulder and pulled him towards the door. “We better get going then. I bet Jisoo and Jun have already started eating lunch without us,” he stated, amusement clear in his voice.

Seungcheol just let himself be pulled by the other. Somehow he knew that’d be the way things would be. Hoshi, after all, is a star. Things gravitate towards stars, right?

 

**

They were walking around Nampodong, just strolling around aimlessly. There were a lot of shops in the busy district. He had already bought a couple of things for himself and his family, Seungcheol seriously had a hard time not buying anything at all. There were seriously so many good finds!

His mood had lifted from his earlier pensiveness. Even though Hoshi had given him space about his wish, he knew the silver haired was adamant on fulfilling it.

‘ _As if confessing was the hardest part,’_ Seungcheol thought wryly.

Speaking of the silver haired body of light, he and his friends were watching a busking in front of him. He couldn’t see the performers though because a large crowd had already gathered around them. Not seeing Hoshi, Jun, or Jisoo at all, Seungcheol reluctantly walked towards the growing crowd and squeezed through, looking for his friends.

He spotted them at the front so he made way towards them.

Hoshi noticed him and pulled him to his side, his arm wrapping around Seungcheol’s waist. “They’re really good,” he told him, his breath tickling his ears. Ignoring the warmth from the other, Seungcheol turned to the buskers performing in front of him.

There were three buskers, two of them singing whilst the other one was playing the piano. They were singing Baek Ji Young’s Candy to my Ears, and honestly Seungcheol had to admit they were pretty amazing. Two guys singing a song from a diva like Baek Ji Young? They certainly pulled it off. Plus their comical performance had everyone laughing and enjoying the show. Seungcheol was truly astonished.

When the two ended their performance, everyone clapped and gave a few notes in their little box. The two guys bowed and thanked their audience.

“Thank you! Thank you!” the guy with chubby cheeks and brown hair said through his mic. “And now! For our encore song, our hyung here will be the one performing!” he exclaimed, practically beaming as he stared at the small blond sitting behind the piano. He  then looked back at the crowd, his expression as if telling a deep dark secret. “It’s his own composition. We hope you all would love it just like how we love him!”

The crowd chuckled at the obvious teasing. The blond scowled at the brown haired guy whilst their other friend was chuckling at the side. The two then sat in their chairs and waited for their hyung to start his performance.

The blond cleared his throat. His fingers then danced across the keyboard, a sweet melody filling the busy street. Seungcheol was already enraptured.

But when the blond finally sang, Seungcheol’s heart started beating inside his chest. His breath was taken away by him. He leaned into Hoshi as if he was unable to carry his own weight. His heart was still stammering inside his chest.

The blond’s voice was angelic whilst the lyrics was simple, pure, and heartfelt. The song was incredibly made and finely polished. It could honestly rival the songs being released by those famous idols - he was sure of it.

As the blond hit the last note and finished his song, Seungcheol was clapping his hands in awe and amazement together with everyone in the crowd. The blond shyly bowed and the three buskers started stowing away their instruments.

“They were really great, weren’t they?” Jisoo asked them as they returned to wandering around the district. Everyone nodded their heads. “They were all fantastic singers but the blond one was seriously amazing,” Jun commented. “I think they’re the same age as us,” he then added thoughtfully. “Why aren’t we that talented singing?” he mused, obviously just joking.

All of them could hold a key but they all knew singing was only their past time and not a career path they’d ever see themselves take. They just laughed and continued on their way to God-knows-where.

 

**

Seungcheol knew he was an insomniac so staying up late or barely getting a decent amount of sleep was already common for him; but with the tiring day he has had, he honestly couldn’t understand _why_ sleep _still_ refused to come to him.

Sighing heavily, he got out of his bed and walked towards their balcony. They were lucky enough to book a hotel near the beach because the view from their room was absolutely divine at night.

The waves were crashing on the shore, its distinct sounds filling the silent night. Seungcheol looked up and was delighted to see the sky filled with stars. His shoulders relaxed as relief washed over him. He closed his eyes and enjoyed basking in the moonlight.

He then heard some shuffling from behind him. He didn’t need to open his eyes to see Hoshi walking towards. He could practically _feel_ the silver haired getting close to him. His heartbeat had somehow become unstable.

“You still haven’t answered my question, you know,” Hoshi stated after a while of silence. Seungcheol opened his eyes and glanced towards the other, brows furrowed. “What question?” he asked, honestly confused.

Hoshi pouted at him and pinched his cheeks. Seungcheol instinctively swatted his hand off. The other just chuckled and leaned on the balcony railing, twinkling eyes still on Seungcheol.

“Who you are in love with,” he then answered. “You still haven’t told me who you wanted to confess to.”

Seungcheol sighed and looked away from him. He ruffled his already messy hair and pursed his lips, deeply in thought. He glanced back at Hoshi, a frown set on his lips. He honestly didn’t know how to answer that question but the eager and sincere expression on Hoshi’s face made Seungcheol a tad guilty for such an absurd wish.

He looked away from the other again, sighing under his breath. “I don't have one,” he confessed, finally succumbing on telling the truth. He glanced at Hoshi, his eyes apologetic. “I honestly don’t have anyone I am in love with,” he added, guilt and embarrassment gradually consuming him.

Hoshi stared at him, his eyes unblinking. There was no greater moment that Seungcheol wanted the Earth to swallow him whole. He leaned on the railing and just stared at the rolling waves. He’d rather not see the expression on the silver haired at the moment. He’s frankly scared it’d be disappointment - or worse, _pity_.

He then heard Hoshi sigh. Seungcheol couldn’t resist the urge to look at him. Their eyes met and he was seriously surprised with the smile Hoshi has on his face.

“Oh well,” he drawled, staring at Seungcheol calculatingly. “That just means we’d have you fall in love first!” he stated, smile becoming impossibly growing wider.

An unamused snort escaped from Seungcheol. “Easier said than done, Hosh,” he dryly commented.

Hoshi slung an arm over his shoulder and pulled him close. “Look at the stars, Cheol,” he commanded. Seungcheol rolled his eyes but did what he was told. Hoshi pointed to a barely visible constellation - it was Draco, Seungcheol’s favourite. “I came from there,” the silver haired shared. Seungcheol looked at him, evidently surprised. “Really?” he asked, wonder clear in his voice. Hoshi nodded his head and pinched Seungcheol’s cheek again. The latter - already knowing it was futile to stop the silver haired - just pouted to show his annoyance.

“Nothing is impossible, my dear little Coups,” he beamed. ”You will fall in love by the end of this trip. Trust me!”

Seungcheol stared at the silver haired, letting him ramble on and on about his ingenious plan of having him fall in love in just two days. He shook his head, chuckling softly.

Hoshi was definitely excited playing Seungcheol’s Cupid. An amused smile finally made its way onto his face. Maybe having Hoshi with them on this trip wasn’t so much of a bad idea after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See you again soon! Hehee~
> 
> PS. Please stream Oh My! MV (///\\\\\\\\\\\\) <3


	5. Improbable but not impossible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That was when Seungcheol noticed it. There was a twinkle in Jihoon’s eyes, a strangely familiar twinkle which made Seungcheol’s stomach churn uncomfortably. His heart lurched in his chest and it started beating like a festive drum on Sports Day. His hands was getting clammy and he hated that. He wanted to vomit yet at the same time there was a sense of warmth in those twinkling eyes. Seungcheol was honestly confused.
> 
> The strange feeling was discomforting to say the least.

When Seungcheol woke up the next morning, he felt oddly at peace. There was none of his usual grumpiness. He always hated mornings and it was a surprise to him how amazingly refreshed he was feeling. He stretched his arms over his head and released a satisfied groan when he heard the telltale crack of bones. A smile stretched across his face.

He glanced at the other bed and noted Hoshi was already up, probably already eating with Jun and Jisoo. Even though they had stayed up quite late, the silver haired still managed to wake up before him. Seungcheol could only shake his head, amused at how energetic the fallen star was. “Well he is a bundle of energy compressed together,” he mused with a soft chuckle.

His thoughts then wandered to his wish. Hoshi was adamant Seungcheol would be falling in love by the end of their trip that he honestly didn’t have the heart to refute his claim. Seungcheol knew it would be a feat - him falling in love in just a matter of two days. He had tried for years but there was none who had made his heart stutter inside his chest. Well none as far as he could remember, he wryly thought.

He shook his head and sighed. He shouldn’t be so negative about it really. Albeit a tad improbable, falling in love was far from impossible. It was a one in a million chance but he knew he just needed to trust his heart and maybe even open his mind to a whole lot of possibilities he had never thought of before. Love is all about chances, right? Plus Hoshi seriously believes he’d find love during their trip. His genuine earnestness made Seungcheol want to believe in it too.

His musings were disrupted by the sound of his stomach grumbling rather loudly. Realising he was famished, Seungcheol then quickly went to the bathroom so that he could join the others downstairs for breakfast.

 

**

The place they were staying in wasn’t exactly a hotel per se. It has all the services of a hotel could offer but it’s more of a huge house with the employees living at a cottage just next to the building. There was a huge dining room just left of the looby. There was also a terrace which overlooked the beach. It was a rather scenic spot because it overlooks the shoreline. And that was where he found his friends.

Breakfast was already set up on the table, his friends eating and laughing with each other. He could see Hoshi imitating some sort of dance which left the others laughing in hysterics. He also noticed there were three strangers sitting with them. His brows instantly furrowed.

A tad confused, he approached his friends with a hesitant smile on his face.

Jisoo was the first one who noticed him and waved him over. The others then turned towards his direction. Seungcheol realised the other three were the buskers they saw last night. His eyes widened in slight surprise.

Hoshi stood up then pulled his arm. “This is my roommate, Choi Seungcheol!” he said smiling widely. “He’s my little Coups!” Hoshi added, clearly teasing him with the absurd nickname he had strangely come up with. Seungcheol just rolled his eyes, not letting himself admit he was getting rather fond of the silver haired.

Seungcheol then sat beside him, suddenly realising the blond with the angelic voice right in front of him. He suddenly felt a strange squeeze on his chest.

“Hi!” the busker with light brown hair and chubby cheeks greeted him. He was sitting beside the blond so Seungcheol turned his attention to him. “I’m Boo Seungkwan,” he said, his chubby cheeks lifting as he smiled at him. “This is Lee Seokmin,” he continued, pointing to the guy with black hair and prominent nose. He had waved at Seungcheol and the latter nodded in return. Then Seungkwan had an arm over the blond’s shoulder, his grin bursting and impossibly becoming wider. Seungcheol could seriously  _ feel _ Seungkwan beaming like how the sun shines above them. His smile was mischievous but was also incredibly warm. “And this cutie here is Woozi hyung!” he said, obviously teasing the latter.

Woozi scowled and took off Seungkwan’s arm. “Don’t call me that,” he groused. Seungkwan just rolled his eyes, seemingly used to his scoldings. The younger then started whining about his hyung’s grouchy attitude despite having a face like a fairy. The blond huffed but had a fond smile playing on his face as Seungkwan delved into a story about playing a prank on Woozi with flower crowns and bunny hats on his birthday. Seokmin and Woozi added a few stories about Seungkwan too which the light brown haired just pouted at.

Seungcheol was incredibly amused. The three were a bunch of misfits but unexpectedly, they make up a good trio - just like him, Jisoo, and Jun. He couldn’t help but smile at their friendship’s similarities.

He then turned to Hoshi who was unconsciously playing with his hand whilst he listened on the animated stories of their newfound friends. They weren’t a trio anymore, he realised. Hoshi was part of their group now. Even though he magiced himself into their lives, from the moment Jun drove off from his house, Hoshi had become the fourth musketeer in their group of three. And honestly, Seungcheol wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

**

The group had decided to wander around the Gamcheon Cultural Village. Jisoo loved everything artsy and so does Jun, so the village was an obvious itinerary in their trip. Seungkwan, Seokmin, and even Woozi tagged along; with Seungkwan volunteering to be their tour guide.

They were walking along a colourful street when Seungcheol found himself lagging behind from the group with Jihoon - Woozi’s real name.

“Woozi is an alias when I work,” the blond had told him. He prefered being called his real name when off work, separating his personal life with his profession and all. “I work as a DJ from time to time,” he shared as they watched their friends goofing around in the streets.

“So you’ve written songs too?” Seungcheol then asked, his interests piqued. Jihoon nodded his head, a faint blush dusting his cheeks. “Yeah,” he answered. “The song I sang last night was my own composition,” he added, his eyes filled with pride. “That was a good song,” Seungcheol couldn’t help but comment because it was the truth. Jihoon really made a wonderful song. “I hope I’d get to hear your songs in the future too,” he added with a smile.

Jihoon just smiled back at him in thanks.

That was when Seungcheol noticed it. There was a twinkle in Jihoon’s eyes, a strangely familiar twinkle which made Seungcheol’s stomach churn uncomfortably. His heart lurched in his chest and it started beating like a festive drum on Sports Day. His hands was getting clammy and he hated that. He wanted to vomit yet at the same time there was a sense of warmth in those twinkling eyes. Seungcheol was honestly confused.

The strange feeling was discomforting to say the least.

 

**

“You’re a music major in Hanyang?” Seungcheol asked with wide eyes. The two had continued to talk to themselves, their friends leaving them to their own bubble. Jihoon nodded. “I am,” he answered. “Why? Are you studying in Hanyang too?”

Seungcheol shook his head. “Nope. Not yet,” he replied. “I’ll be starting this fall,” he added.

Jihoon nodded his head in understanding. “I thought of doing the same but,” he finished his sentence with a nonchalant shrug. “What’s your major going to be then?”

“I’m still not sure,” Seungcheol answered, his lips pursed in thought. “But I’m leaning towards Physical Education, I guess, since I’m good with sports.”

They continued talking - mostly Jihoon giving tips and advices to Seungcheol about the Hanyang student life - fully unaware of the calculating eyes observing them from a distance.

Seungcheol and Jihoon were clearly getting along. Fairly well too in just a short amount of time. They were comfortable with each other and there was a look on Seungcheol which closely looked like fondness. There was a certain softness in his eyes and Hoshi was sure it was because he’s attracted to Jihoon.

The silver haired then smiled excitedly. It seemed like Choi Seungcheol was well on his way into falling in love with Lee Jihoon and Hoshi couldn’t be more happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao throwing in jicheol bcos why not? Leader line love triangle anyone? //u\\\\\\)
> 
> PS. Stream Oh My MV too! ^^


	6. Feelings are hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I noticed you and Jihoon are getting along quite well,” he commented, eyes watching him closely.
> 
> It was a futile attempt of trying to sound nonchalant but surprisingly enough, Seungcheol knew what Hoshi really wanted to ask.
> 
> Do you like Jihoon?

Seungcheol stared at the night sky, a sense of contentment filling his heart. He was still up surprisingly not because of his insomnia. No, for the very first time in months, he _wanted_ to stay awake. His body was just filled with lots of energy, an adrenaline rush still pulsating in his veins so vividly strong; sleep was the last thing he wanted to do.

They had spent the entire day walking around Gamcheon; trying out the different cafes, capturing the colourful streets, buying things of all sorts, and overall having a splendid time with each other.

The little village was unique in a sense wherein everywhere you turn, the streets would be filled with colourful paints and murals, hippie cafes and stores, and even bizarre trinkets handmade by the owners themselves. Gamcheon reeked of art, passion, and culture - they absolutely had a good time wandering its streets.

Seungcheol had spent majority of their time talking to Jihoon. The two had bonded over their chosen university, Hanyang, and then they moved to music, hobbies, sports, family, friends, and even their favourite teachers in high school. He had also shared about his worries for the future - he hadn’t even mentioned a slight of worry to Jisoo and Jun but Seungcheol somehow felt the blond was the right person to share it with. And he was right. Jihoon was kind enough to provide a listening ear and had even gave some helpful advice for his anxieties to lessen.

By the time they had sat down in a quaint Chinese restaurant along the shores, Seungcheol had shared every bit of detail about him to the blond and vice versa; it was seriously and amazingly strange how quick the two had bonded, as if they were two peas in a pod who could understand each other instantly. He then knew Jihoon would be a part of his life. Seungcheol was honestly grateful.

Dinner was once again eventful for their group. There were smiles and laughters from everyone; Seungkwan, Seokmin, and Hoshi were their unofficial gag trio whilst Jisoo were their manager a.k.a. hype master. Seungcheol, Jun, and Jihoon were the audience, and the three dutifully applauded as their impromptu show came to an end. Dinner was truly a fun affair and definitely a moment they all would deem memorable for years to come.

He closed his eyes as a smile then graced his face, warmth spreading throughout his chest just by remembering the moments he had shared with his friends. In just two days, he had smiled and laughed so much that his cheeks were aching and twitching. He had honestly forgotten how long it has been since he last had this so much fun with his friends. It had seriously been a while.

Seungcheol was happy. _Undeniably and contentedly happy._ He was honestly brimming with happiness and it was somehow overwhelming.

He knew he should just bask in this happiness but there was a nagging thought creeping up in his mind. Happiness doesn’t last long, it keeps on repeating over and over inside his head like a broken record. The thought was annoyingly taunting. But Seungcheol was adamant on stamping out his negativity. Happiness doesn’t last long, heck yes - then it’s more of a reason to enjoy it while it lasts. Seungcheol wanted to keep that thought above everything else. He _wanted_ to be happy. He _wanted_ to be positive. He wanted to bask in this feeling of contentment no matter how short it was. He wanted to cherish it, to treasure it, and to keep it precious because _he knows_ happiness doesn’t last long. He doesn’t want to dwell in the darkness of life anymore. He wanted to live in the light and smile and laugh and love and be happy. He wanted to _finally_ live. And it’s an amazingly refreshing and invigorating realisation for Seungcheol.

He opened his eyes and stared at sky again, his doe eyes now more alive than ever. They were twinkling, sparkling with renewed enthusiasm. He was finally taking a step forward.

“You really do love stargazing, don’t you?” he then heard Hoshi’s voice from behind him. He turned his head and met with the other’s amused eyes. “It calms my nerves,” he answered, shrugging his shoulders in nonchalance.

Without waiting for a reply, he then returned his gaze back onto the skies. Hoshi stood beside him and in comfortable silence, they basked in the moonlight and watched the stars.

 

**

Seungcheol subtly glanced at the silver haired. Hoshi was looking up at the sky and also watching the stars like he was but instead of the awe and wonder Seungcheol had on his face, the other has an expression of thoughtfulness and seriousness. It was an expression foreign on Hoshi’s face if he was completely honest. There was no sparkling mischief in his dark brown eyes and it was slightly disconcerting.

This was a first, an unknown side of the silver haired which Seungcheol was lucky enough - or not - to witness. He hastily looked away when he realised he was blatantly staring.

 

**

“ _So_ ~” Hoshi then said after a while of silence. Seungcheol turned to him, eyebrow raised in question. The silver haired had a teasing smile on his face and it didn’t bode well for Seungcheol. “I noticed you and Jihoon are getting along quite well,” he commented, eyes watching him closely.

It was a futile attempt of trying to sound nonchalant but surprisingly enough, Seungcheol knew what Hoshi _really_ wanted to ask.

_Do you like Jihoon?_

A sigh escaped from his lips as he looked away from Hoshi’s curious eyes. He has small, beady eyes yet Seungcheol felt like those orbs could suck him whole like some sort of black hole; it was a weird feeling of wanting to look away and also wanting to get sucked into the abyss. He was honestly disturbed by this.

Seungcheol rubbed his face with his hands, suddenly feeling tired. He leaned on the balcony railing and stared at the rolling waves at the distance. “I like him,” he answered slowly, testing the words rolling off his tongue. He seemed to be telling the truth so he went on. “He’s nice, and cute. And he somehow understands my quirks,” he explained, trying to hold in his blush. He groaned, not really knowing what to say anymore. Feelings had always been hard for Seungcheol after all. “I _like_ him,” he repeated, gaze finally meeting Hoshi’s. “But I’m still not sure if I’m on my way to _falling in love_ with him,” he stated, his words honest and sincere.

Hoshi smiled up at him. The silver haired ruffled his hair and Seungcheol tried to swat his hand away, Hoshi just beamed even wider.

“I’m sure by tomorrow you’ll be half way there,” he told Seungcheol, eyes bright and lively.

Seungcheol only nodded. His heart was rampaging inside his chest as his emotions went into overdrive. The moon was illuminating Hoshi’s face, highlighting the contours of his nose and cheeks quite beautifully. The smile he was giving Seungcheol was undeniably warm and fond and affectionate; it was seriously a lot to take in in just a glimpse of a second.

He then nervously gulped. He was sure the loud thump thump thump the annoying muscle on his chest was making wasn’t because of the thought of falling in love with Jihoon. It was for an entirely and shockingly different reason.

_He was deadass sure of it._


	7. What happens, happens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What happens to you when my wish is fulfilled?"  
> "I'll go back to the stars and become a star again."  
> "Can't you stay on Earth? With us?" With me.  
> "The skies is my home. I don't belong here on Earth."  
> He stared at Hoshi and met his gaze. A woeful smile stretched across his lips. Talk about staying positive, he wryly thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A double update because why not? ^^  
> Have a good day everyone! <3

A strange stillness had enveloped the two, merely the waves of the ocean and the sounds of the night could be heard. They hadn’t uttered a single word since their earlier conversation and the silence was getting rather awkward and stifling. Seungcheol then moved to lie down at a lawn chair in their balcony instead of just leaning on the railway. With an arm behind his head, he stared distractedly at the starry night. Hoshi had copied him, lying on the chair just beside him.

Seungcheol tried to resolutely return to his stargazing but he would always find his gaze straying towards Hoshi. It seemed as if the silver haired - like the star that he was - was a burning fire and Seungcheol was an enraptured moth; he was drawn to Hoshi like how a moth is drawn to flames. He honestly couldn’t help it. How fitting, he thought with a wry smile.

He closed his eyes and tried to calm his frayed nerves. He breathed in deeply and exhaled quite heavily. He wanted the things which has had his mind boggling and whirring to leave his system but regrettably, his attempts were futile.

His heart was still stuttering inside his chest unabashedly like a drum. Thump thump thump it kept on beating loudly and annoyingly, as if his heart _wanted_ the other to hear its incessant stuttering; Seungcheol didn’t know what to think of it anymore.

He then glanced at Hoshi. The silver haired now had a smile playing on his lips, the familiar twinkle back in his eyes. Seungcheol wondered what he was thinking of. He glanced back towards the sky and followed the imaginary line of the Big Dipper, a pensive expression appearing on his face. Drawing the constellations in his head had always buoyed Seungcheol’s mind after all. He pursed his lips in deep thought.

After a while of deliberation, Seungcheol sat up on his chair and turned to Hoshi. “Ne Hosh,” he said, staring at the silver haired with all the seriousness he could muster. Hoshi glanced at him, a curious brow raised in question.

It was hard to ask what he wanted to ask - he was seriously close to emptying his stomach out of his dinner - but Seungcheol knew this was a question he needed to be answered. He gulped and stared at Hoshi, his determination and curiosity piqued.

“What happens when my wish is fulfilled?” he finally asked. Hoshi furrowed his brows, seemingly confused with his question. “Then you and Jihoon would live happily ever after,” the silver haired answered with a confused frown. Seungcheol shook his head, biting down hard on his bottom lip in order to stop himself from also frowning. He somehow didn't like that particular answer. “That’s not what I meant,” he told the other. He sifted a hand through his hair and huffed. Seungcheol’s doe eyes then met with Hoshi’s almond ones. He was seriously getting sucked right into them, he was sure of it.

He nervously gulped and finally asked: what happens to _you_ when my wish is fulfilled?

Hoshi was surprised of his question to say the least. His brows furrowed together as he pursed his lips in thought. Seungcheol just stared at him, heart going into staccato with each second passing by. Somehow he knew the fulfillment of his wish would depend on Hoshi’s answer and honestly, Seungcheol was slightly dreading it. He waited with bated breath as Hoshi mulled over his answer.

“Well...” the silver haired drawled out, looking a bit hesitant at Seungcheol. “Well?” he gently prodded. Hoshi had stood up and was now leaning on the railing, his fingers distractedly playing with a ring Seungcheol _just_ noticed was on his pinky. He raised a curious brow at Hoshi to continue.

Hoshi looked away from his stare and opted to look at the stars. “When your wish is finally fulfilled…” His gaze then shifted back onto Seungcheol, his dark brown eyes missing its usual luster. The emptiness in those lively eyes pained Seungcheol greatly.

“When you wish is finally fulfilled, then I’ll go back,” Hoshi finally answered. “I’ll go back to the skies and become a star again.”

Seungcheol’s breath was caught in his throat. Time seemed to have stopped in that moment. He looked at Hoshi, eyes wide in disbelief. He couldn’t believe it. “W-what?” he clumsily stuttered, truly at a loss for words. He honestly didn’t _want_ to believe it!

If his wish would be fulfilled, if he _confesses_ , then Hoshi would return to the sky. Hoshi would become a star again. Hoshi would _leave_ the Earth. Hoshi would leave them. Hoshi would leave _him_ behind. The thought alone broke his heart.

“Can’t you stay instead?” Seungcheol asked the silver haired, eyes pleading. “Can’t you stay on Earth?” he furthered. “With us?” _With me?_ Hoshi smiled at him sadly. “I don’t belong here, my little Coup,” he told him. “The skies is my home. I don’t belong here on Earth,” he added with a sigh.

“Do you want to leave?” Seungcheol found himself saying, his voice not above a whisper.

Hoshi had a rueful smile on his face. “As I’ve said, Coups-” The silver haired truly looked torn. “-I don’t belong here.”

Logically speaking, what Hoshi’s saying _is_ true. He doesn’t belong on Earth. He came from the skies and it was only apt for him to return to his home. He was a star and weren’t stars meant to be in the sky? They were made to be in the heavens, not roam around the Earth like a normal human being. A star living amongst humans is a betrayal to the laws of nature. It just wasn’t right.

But in the two days since Hoshi had fallen from the heavens, he had been living life as a human.

He eats what humans eat. He wears what humans wear. He acts how humans act. He laughs how humans laugh. He smiles how humans smile. He _feels_ how any normal human being would feel. He feels happiness when he’s happy. He feels sadness when he’s sad. He feels anger when he’s angry. Hoshi has seriously become human at heart - no matter his form or origin. Surely that was enough of a reason for him to stay, right?

Sadly, Seungcheol knew that wasn’t the way life worked. Things rarely happen in the way one wanted it to - well that was how it was for Seungcheol anyway. Life also has a bad habit of letting people meet and then separating them in a godforsaken manner. It was cruel, bittersweet. And they have no power over life’s machinations. None at all. Star or human, they’re honestly and regrettably just pieces in the game.

He stared at Hoshi and met his gaze. A woeful smile stretched across his lips. Talk about staying positive, he wryly thought.

 

**

They had then retreated back in their beds, snuggled up under the covers of their blankets and was on their way to dreamland; Seungcheol though was far from sleepy. He wanted to break the tension in the air. He hated the heavy atmosphere lingering between them. He honestly didn’t want to sleep with such uneasiness in his chest.

He turned to his side and stared at Hoshi’s somehow stable breathing. “Ne~” he carefully prodded. No reaction. Seungcheol got up from his bed and sat on the floor beside Hoshi’s bed. He poked the latter’s cheek, a pout on his lips. “Hoshi-ya~” he drawled out, adding in a bit of aegyo into his voice.

There was twitch on Hoshi’s lips. Seungcheol mentally applauded himself. “Hoshi-ya~ Hoshi-ya~ Hoshi-ya~” he repeatedly said whilst continuing with his poking.

The silver haired then cracked an eye open and stared at Seungcheol. “What?” he asked, his tone annoyed. They both knew that he wasn’t.

Seungcheol smiled at him and leaned on his arm at the edge of the bed. “Aren’t stars supposed to be gold?” he candidly asked. Hoshi stared at him like he had grown three heads. He laughed and sifted a hand through Hoshi’s silver locks. “Your hair... “ he drawled out. “It’s silver,” he stated. Hoshi rolled his eyes but Seungcheol ignored it. “Shouldn’t it be gold? Or maybe an orange yellow like the sun?”

Hoshi couldn’t help but snort. He looked at Seungcheol, unamused. “I never knew alpacas have light brown hair until I saw you,” he quipped, eyes suddenly gleaming with mischief.

“Hey!” Seungcheol exclaimed, slapping a hand on Hoshi’s arm. The other then laughed, his eyes turning into those lovely crescents as happy tears fell on his cheeks. He crossed his arms over his chest and huffed in frustration. He could hardly see the humour in it actually. But Hoshi was still laughing like there was no tomorrow. He was definitely an odd ball of light.

He stared at the star, the tips of his lips gradually curling upwards. At least he got to make the silver haired laugh even though it was at his expense. He was just honestly glad to have a smile back on Hoshi’s face. That was how things should be after all.

Contentment then flourished inside his heart.

Hoshi was happy. He should be too.

Happiness doesn’t last long but in this instance, in this tiny bubble of only he and him, this happiness felt like it would last for more than their lifetime.


	8. Understanding feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Where should I start?” He meant it hypothetically but his friend still answered. “How about with why Hoshi’s been adamant on setting you up with Jihoon?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to post something yesterday bcos it was Cheolie's birthday and that I hadn't updated for over a week but I got lazy T_T /gomen ne OTL

The world seemed to be shaking. His head swayed back and forth, back and forth over and over, making Seungcheol a tad dizzy and uncomfortable. His brows furrowed in confusion. Earthquakes weren’t supposed to be like this, he thought drily. The shaking then stopped and started again, seemingly more urgent this time. Seungcheol groaned, his annoyance rising. He realized it wasn’t really an earthquake – the shaking was someone waking him up. He moved away from the annoying hand shaking him. Even without opening his eyes, he already knew who was trying to wake him up. He burrowed himself further into his blanket, wanting to cocoon himself from the world. Seungcheol was not in the best of moods to face reality at the moment.

“Coups-ya!” the voice then cooed near his ear. “Coups-ya!” It was coaxing him to open his eyes, tickling his ears. The voice was soft, sweet – seemingly like cotton candy, honey. Seungcheol _almost_ gave in. But he knew he shouldn’t. So he kept his eyes adamantly closed and moved further away from the culprit.

Hoshi then huffed at his stubbornness. Seungcheol relaxed a bit, thinking the silver haired had had enough and would finally let him sleep in; but of course, it was _Hoshi_. The silver haired was as dog-headed as he was. He should have known the star wouldn’t just give up without much of a fight.

All of a sudden, Hoshi unceremoniously plopped his body over Seungcheol’s. The latter yelped in surprise, eyes wide and wild. His stare was met with dark brown eyes sparkling with mischief. His eyes squinted, glaring at the cheeky grin on the other’s. “Get off me,” he growled, trying to roll off the silver haired off of him. Hoshi shook his head and just clung onto him, not letting go despite Seungcheol’s attempts.

Hoshi laughed, the shaking of his body also shaking Seungcheol’s; that was when he knew he couldn’t stay frustrated at the silver haired for much longer. Hoshi, albeit a ball of pure annoyance at times, was endearing and lovable most times. He internally sighed. He wouldn’t ever win against Hoshi; he knew that now.

He then stared at the silver haired, a little bit dazed. Hoshi had his eyes closed, still laughing with happy tears staining his cheeks. Unconsciously, Seungcheol wiped a tear away.

This was then met with surprise by the silver haired. Hoshi stared at him with his mouth hung open and his eyes wide. Seungcheol froze, realizing the intimacy of his action. He smiled bashfully at the silver haired, his face flushing to the tips of his ears. Hoshi smiled back at him, his smile warm and bright. The silver haired then pinched his cheeks, squishing them a bit.

Seungcheol felt his heart hammer inside his chest. He hoped against hope Hoshi wouldn’t notice the wild stutter of his heartbeat.

Hoshi then finally rolled off of him. He stared down at Seungcheol, eyes still twinkling with mirth. “Let’s eat breakfast!” he told him. “It’s our last day in Busan. We better make the most of it!” he exclaimed, practically beaming. Seungcheol just nodded his head, chuckling under his breath.

Their conversation last night had struck a chord in his heart. Seungcheol then decided to make the best of every moment he still has with the silver haired. He could prolong his confession, subtly stretching out their time together as much as possible.

To Seungcheol, it didn’t matter Hoshi was a fallen star and he considered the skies as his home; he knew deep down in his heart the silver haired belongs on Earth with them. He just need to convince the star to think so too.

 

**

The sun was high up in the sky, its bright glare blinding Seungcheol even with his sunglasses on whenever he’d look up. He adjusted his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose and basked in the salty air. Since it was their last day in Busan, they all decided to have a lazy day in the beach. Busan, after all, has one of the best beaches in South Korea. He gazed to where his friends were; they were all busy doing whichever activity they pleased.

Jisoo and Seokmin – who were standing by the shore – were ambushing Seungkwan and Hoshi – who were in the water – with their loaded water guns. The two tried to counter the attack by splashing water onto them but their attempts were futile. Surprisingly, Jisoo and Seokmin made a good tag team. Seungkwan and Hoshi could hardly defend themselves from their onslaught.

Seokmin then somehow tripped and had plummeted onto the sand. Hoshi took this opportunity to grab Seokmin’s water gun and loaded it with enough water. He then battled with Jisoo, most likely taking revenge for him and Seungkwan’s pride.

He couldn’t help but laugh at his friends. They looked silly but they’re obviously having the time of their lives. A fond smile stretched across his face as he continued to watch them.

Hoshi noticed him staring. The silver haired waved at him, a wide grin on his face. Seungcheol dutifully waved back. He then went back on attacking Jisoo whilst Seungkwan was trying to throw Seokmin into the water.

He shook his head. “Boys will be boys, I guess,” he mused, his smile getting wider.

 

**

He was still watching the others goofing around when Jun sat down beside him. “Hey,” he greeted his friend with a smile. Jun smiled back at him and the two settled in comfortable silence, choosing to just watch their friends at a distance.

“Sushi for your thoughts?” Jun then asked him, his gaze still on the others. Seungcheol stared at him, a tad confused. “What do you mean?” he replied, frowning slightly. His friend then glanced at him and raised a brow. “Something’s bothering you,” Jun answered.

His tone was indifferent but Seungcheol could see the concern in his friend’s eyes. His frown deepened even more. Had he been too obvious with his worries? Maybe. It had always hard for Seungcheol to mask his emotions like everyone does. And Jun has known him for so long; of course he’d be able to detect if something was wrong with him.

But Seungcheol was still surprised. It isn’t Jun’s style to confront people about their problems. His friend preferred when people approach him about it, not taking the initiative to ask. He stared at his longtime friend. Jun had been with him through thick and thin; and he also knew the Chinese would be there for him in the future too.

A sigh then escaped from his lips. Seungcheol knew he had to _at_ _least_ share a bit of what’s bothering him. He’s been keeping secrets from Jun and Jisoo since they graduated high school and it’s eating at his conscience. Maybe talking about it would help unload some of the pressure on his shoulders. He stared at Jun, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“Where should I start?” He meant it hypothetically but his friend still answered. “How about with why Hoshi’s been adamant on setting you up with Jihoon?”

Seungcheol’s eyebrows shot up in shock. “You knew?” he asked, his voice filled with surprise and disbelief. Jun rolled his eyes. “Hoshi has been pestering us to leave you guys _alone_ ,” he stressed. “He thinks he’s so smooth with setting you guys up but that guy lacks subtlety. He’s not a freaking Slytherin to focus on subtlety and cunning,” he commented, chuckling softly.

Seungcheol couldn’t help but chuckle at their inside joke. He and Jun had developed an obsession over Harry Potter during their middle school days and the inside jokes just stuck until now.

Jun then stared at Seungcheol, lips pursed. He tilted his head to the side and asked: “Do you like Jihoon?”

His friend’s truly on a roll today. Jun had asked the one question he has honestly been dreading. Seungcheol choked on his own spit. He then started coughing, frustration adding to his shock. He knew he should have expected that question _specifically_ but he hadn’t expected for Jun to ask him about it immediately. Talk about going for the kill, he wryly thought.

He pondered on the question carefully. Does he like Jihoon? Hoshi indirectly had asked about it before and he answered yes. But it wasn’t a romantic likeness the star wanted him to feel. The feelings he has for Jihoon was… different yet somehow similar with his feelings for Jun or Jisoo. His feelings were akin to friendship; Seungcheol’s becoming alarmingly aware of it now.

He pursed his lips and turned away from Jun. His friend’s inquisitive eyes were gnawing at him.

Silver hair then caught his attention. His gaze immediately took in the scene. Hoshi was walking towards them, big bright smile on his face. He was laughing at something Jisoo had been telling him, his small eyes turning even smaller. He was seriously shining so dazzlingly, it somehow hurt to look at him. Seungcheol’s heart clenched inside his chest.

Does he like-? His entire being stopped short.

He looked back at Jun on his side. “I-“ He was honestly at a loss for words. Somehow his mouth couldn’t utter a single word. Even his mind seemed to be boggled up with his emotions suddenly flaring. He didn’t know what to do or say or think or even feel – Seungcheol was definitely lost. He stared at Jun helplessly. “I-I…“ He tried again but he still couldn’t say anything. He bit his bottom lip in frustration.

Jun understandingly patted his shoulder and stood up. He dragged the others to the food stands, promising to treat them with the many snacks available. He had left Seungcheol alone to let him mull over his thoughts and feelings, and for that he was grateful to have such a friend like Wen Junhui. Annoying and aggravating at most times, but Seungcheol knew he’s a friend he could always count on.

He stood up himself, having enough of just sitting around. Maybe a walk would clear the fog in his mind and heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHY IS THIS TURNING INTO ANGST BMDKLSL this was supposed to be fluff but lmao /idek @_@


	9. Honest hearts lead to happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seungcheol’s thoughts ran wild. He was terribly at a loss. He knew what’s the right thing to do. It was the most obvious choice.

Seungcheol gazed at the rolling waves, the salty sea air ruffling his hair. He was sitting by the shores, all alone and brooding. The day had passed in a blur for him; the next thing he knew they were already eating dinner, grilling meat and drinking beer. He seriously hadn’t expected for the time to fly so fast. They would be leaving Busan in the morning and would be facing again their realities. Somehow it felt like he was slowly awakening from a dream; good or bad – he honestly didn’t know.

A sigh then escaped his lips. His emotions had somehow settled but his heart and mind were still muddled. He laid down on the sand and looked up at the stars, his arms tucking behind his head as a pillow. His gaze immediately landed on Draco, his favorite constellation and ironically Hoshi’s home. A woeful smile stretched across his face. “Somehow looking at you is making me even more anxious tonight,” he chuckled drily.

“I just got here and you’re already insulting me?” a voice suddenly said.

He jumped and sat straight, head immediately turning to the voice’s owner. He was honestly surprised to see Jihoon. The blond was looking at him amusedly.

Feeling caught, Seungcheol scratched his nape and smiled bashfully at the blond. “You’re here,” he weakly stated. Jihoon just nodded and proceeded to sit beside him. The blond then bumped his shoulder. “What’re you doing here by yourself?” he asked. “Everyone’s inside playing some sort of game,” he added, making a face. Seungcheol raised a curious brow, his interest piqued. “Judging from your face, it’s probably something the gag trio has come up with,” he amusedly stated whilst pinching the blond’s cheek. Jihoon swatted his hand away. “Shut up,” he scowled. Seungcheol merrily laughed, shaking his head in delight. “Ah~ those three really,” he commented. The blond just rolled his eyes and huffed.

“So what’s up with you?” Jihoon asked again, looking imploringly at him. “Something’s bothering you,” he added thoughtfully. Seungcheol stared back at the blond, his thoughts instantly going back to his earlier conversation with Jun. It was kinda ironic the two of them said the same thing. The tips of his lips curled slightly. “Am I that transparent?” he commented, chuckling wryly.

He looked away from Jihoon, lips set in a straight line. He knew he could talk to the blond about it but somehow _saying_ it was harder than he thought. A heavy sigh escaped from him. Seungcheol was torn on what to do – should he tell Jihoon or not? He sifted his fingers through his hair, thinking pensively.

“It’s about Hoshi, isn’t it?” Jihoon suddenly said, catching his attention. Seungcheol dropped his hand and glanced at the blond, frowning. “How did you know?” he asked, brows furrowing together. His response earned a smirk from the other. His eyes widened. Realizing he had slipped, he immediately shook his head. “N-no,” he stuttered, trying to backtrack his words. “It’s not about him,” he tried to tell Jihoon. “It’s really not about H-Hoshi at all.”

Jihoon merely raised a brow. “You’re stuttering, Choi Seungcheol,” he stated. “Denying it would only make it worse,” he taunted. Knowing he was already caught, Seungcheol sighed, releasing the tension in his shoulders. He rubbed his face, exhaustion suddenly overwhelming him. His gaze met with Jihoon’s reluctantly. “It’s just…” He paused, biting his lip. “I just don’t know what to do,” he told him. “I’m so confused on whether I’m doing the right thing or not. It’s seriously eating me up inside,” he explained, his expression anxious and filled with worry.

The blond was looking at him with a serious face and listening closely to his words. He was being a good friend indeed. Seungcheol then decided to be honest with him.

“He wants me to be with you,” he told Jihoon. The other faintly frowned. “Well, do you like me?” he asked, eyebrow raised challengingly. Seungcheol smiled. “I do,” he answered truthfully. “But in a way I like Jun and Jisoo and Seungkwan and Seokmin,” he furthered. “I like you as a friend,” he stated, smiling widely. Jihoon smiled back at him and lightly punched his arm. “I like you too as a friend,” he said, chuckling.

A comfortable silence then settled between them. Seungcheol felt like a burden had been lifted off of his shoulders. He suddenly felt invigorated. A smile stretched across his face. He looked up at the sky, gaze automatically going to Draco. His mind had somehow calmed down. His smile broadened.

“Congratulations on finally realizing your feelings,” Jihoon then commented. “What are you going to do about it now?” he prodded. Seungcheol turned to him, a little confused. “What do you mean?” he asked. The blond stared at him blankly. “About Hoshi,” he replied. “Aren’t you going to tell him?”

To say he was surprised would be an understatement. Seungcheol was beyond floored!

He stared at Jihoon with wide eyes. “How did you know?” he asked. Jihoon shook his head, chuckling softly. “You always stare at him,” he answered, amusement twinkling in his eyes. “No matter how far Hoshi was, your gaze would always turn to him,” he furthered. “You also have that expression whenever you do,” he added, making a face. “You know that love-struck kind of look,” he drawled out, waving his hand.

Seungcheol covered his face with his hands, feeling absolutely embarrassed. “Can’t believe I’m _that_ obvious,” he bemoaned. Jihoon simply snickered. “Stupidly obvious honestly,” he commented. “Everyone _knew_ you like him. Well except Hoshi himself of course,” he stated. “Jun even said it was love at first sight.”

Hearing that made Seungcheol even more embarrassed. He could feel his face heating up. His face was definitely flushed red. He groaned, wanting the earth to swallow him.

Jihoon then comfortingly patted his arm. “So what are you going to do?” he asked. “Are you going to confess?” The word ‘confess’ triggered a panic attack on Seungcheol. He furiously shook his head. “I can’t,” he told Jihoon. “I can’t confess. I can’t confess. I can’t confess,” he repeated over and over.

“Why can’t you?” the blond confusedly asked. “Hoshi’s a nice guy. He’d definitely listen through your confession,” he reasoned. Seungcheol shook his head again. “I can’t,” he repeated. “He’d leave if I confess.”

His wish was to confess to someone he loves. He knew what he’s feeling for the silver haired wasn’t entirely love but he also knew he’s getting there; Seungcheol was halfway in love with Hoshi, confessing now _might_ fulfill his wish and he definitely didn’t want that to happen just yet. Three days is an extremely short amount of time. He wanted to spend more days, months, years with Hoshi; confessing would only halt all the fun they could have in the future. Seungcheol wanted to experience many more things with him – good or bad. He couldn’t confess. Heck, maybe he _shouldn’t_ confess at all. His lips pursed in deep thought. He _could_ actually do that.

He glanced at Jihoon. The blond was staring at him closely. “I can’t confess,” he repeated again. “I won’t confess ever,” he then expressed, determination filling inside of him. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Cheol,” Jihoon replied apprehensively. “This could be your chance to be happy,” he added kindly.

Seungcheol shook his head. “I won’t be happy if I confess,” he stated. “Hoshi would definitely leave once I do and I don’t want that to happen ever,” he expressed, fear clear in his voice.

Jihoon just sighed. “You need to be honest,” he said, patting Seungcheol’s hand. “Honest hearts lead to happiness, Cheol,” he told him. “Step one is being honest with yourself – and you’ve already done that. Now all you need to do is be honest with Hoshi. He deserves to know of your feelings for him. Reciprocated or not, being honest with him about it would definitely be a step closer to your happiness.”

Seungcheol stared at the blond, his thoughts all muddled up. He seriously didn’t know what to do. His heart was yelling for him to confess but his mind was telling him not to.

Fulfilling his wish meant Hoshi would be leaving. He’d be returning to the sky. He’d be returning to his home. He stared at the night sky again. The stars were shining above them. His gaze then went to Draco. A sad smile appeared on his face as he stared at his favorite constellation. It seemed like the stars are not happy tonight. Their shimmer’s a bit dull. They lacked their usual glitter and somehow Seungcheol felt guilty.

Do they miss Hoshi back there? What about his family? Are they worried about him?

Seungcheol’s thoughts ran wild. He was terribly at a loss. He knew what’s the right thing to do. It was the most obvious choice. He stared at Draco, his heart slightly breaking.

“Should I give him back to you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. This srsly became an angst lgkmdlkrsl /i'm sorry ;u;


	10. My heart is yours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t you want to fulfill your wish?”  
> “Do you really want to go home?” he asked Hoshi, stopping just in front of the silver haired. “Do you really want to go back to the skies that badly?” He now had a rueful smile on his face. Seungcheol didn’t want to vent like this but everything was coming out and he couldn’t stop himself anymore. His heart was broken, and was continuing to break. “Do you want to leave Earth?” He could feel his tears falling now. He looked pathetic – crying for a person who doesn’t reciprocate his feelings. Of all people really to fall in love, he thought wryly. He furiously wiped his tears away.  
> He stared at Hoshi, desperation clear in his face and voice. “Do you really want to leave me behind?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeap. Full-blown angst here bui. ;u;

Seungcheol stared at the mop of shining silver locks standing in front of him. He was in awe on how the soft moonlight illuminated his hair in the most beautiful and striking way; Hoshi seemed to be glowing under the moon, the star-filled night sky as his background. He was smiling at Seungcheol, brilliant and soft and warm, making his heart stutter in staccato inside his chest. The silver haired was beyond ethereal, magical. He was definitely a star – shining, sparkling, brilliant. He couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“Hey,” Seungcheol said as he fully entered their room. “You’re still up,” he then noted. Hoshi was standing at the balcony, turning around when he heard the door open. The silver haired met him halfway. “Just waiting for you,” he told him, pinching Seungcheol’s cheeks. His heart lurched, giddiness swirling and churning. He made a face. “Did you miss me that much?” he joked. Hoshi smacked his arm. “Cheeky aren’t we,” he mused. Seungcheol shook his head, chuckling under his breath. “I was just at the beach with Jihoon,” he then said by way of explanation. The silver haired raised a brow. “Oh?” He looked surprised, the usual twinkle in his twinkling even more. Hoshi smiled widely. “Did you finally confess then?” he asked.

Just hearing those words made Seungcheol’s heart break. His smile was completely wiped out of his face, being replaced by a deep frown. Jihoon... Confession… Those two words in one sentence wasn’t what he wanted for them to talk tonight of all nights. He internally sighed.

He looked away from Hoshi’s inquisitive eyes. “I-I didn’t,” he answered. “I’m not planning on confessing,” he added, staring back at the other. Seungcheol didn’t _want_ to confess – not to Jihoon. He pursed his lips and glanced down. Hoshi was now frowning at him. He didn’t want the silver haired to be sad because of him but it seemed like he’d have to hurt the star in order for his feelings to come across. He suppressed a desperate groan.

“Why?” Hoshi asked, sitting beside him. “It’s our last night here and it would have been the most perfect setting for confessing,” he stated, brows furrowing together. “You two were all alone by the beach under the starry sky – it’s got the best mood for romance and all that!”

Seungcheol bit his lower lip, his heart awfully breaking. “It just feels wrong,” he mumbled softly. “Confessing to Jihoon… it doesn’t feel right at all,” he weakly explained, gazing at Hoshi through his lashes. The silver haired took his hands and held them in his. He gave them a gentle squeezing, staring back at Seungcheol. “I thought you like Jihoon?” he asked. Seungcheol nodded his head. “I do,” he answered. “He’s a really great person,” he furthered. He breathed in. Well, this was it. “But I don’t like him in _that_ way,” he explained. Hoshi had his brows furrowed together. It was obvious he was confused with what he said. “What?” the silver haired said, scrunching up his face. “You don’t like Jihoon in _what_ way?”

A sigh escaped from him. “I don’t like _like_ Jihoon,” Seungcheol replied. “I don’t like him in a romantic sense,” he furthered. “I like him the same way I like Jun, Jisoo, Seungkwan, and Seokmin. I only like him as a friend and nothing _more_. I don’t have any other feelings for him other than friendship,” he expounded, his words slow and clear.

Somehow, admitting it to Hoshi made him breathe a little better. He stared at the silver haired anxiously, heart stuttering inside his chest. Hoshi has a deep set frown etched on his face. It unnerved him how unfitting the expression was on the star. He wanted to make him happy – this thought definite made Seungcheol realize how important Hoshi was to him. Oh how much he wanted to cry!

“You don’t like Jihoon?” Hoshi then said after a while, now looking at him with a strange expression. Seungcheol slowly shook his head. “You don’t have feelings for him? Nothing at all aside from friendship?” He nodded again. The silver haired suddenly laid down on his bed. “Who are you going to confess to then?” he groaned. He glared at Seungcheol. “Don’t you want to fulfill your wish?” he accused.

Hearing _that_ had triggered his annoyance. Seungcheol stood up from his bed and started pacing in the room, his steps furious and frustrated and close to desperate. “Why are you so adamant on me confessing?” he thrown back at Hoshi. “All we ever talk about these past days is about my wish!” he exclaimed, his voice slightly rising. “Who do I like, when would I confess, have I confessed – it’s seriously stressing me out!”

Hoshi was staring at him with wide eyes now, carefully watching him as he paced back and forth. “Do you really want to go home?” he asked Hoshi, stopping just in front of the silver haired. “Do you really want to go back to the skies _that_ badly?” He now had a rueful smile on his face. Seungcheol didn’t want to vent like this but everything was coming out and he couldn’t stop himself anymore. His heart was broken, and was continuing to break. “Do you want to leave Earth?” He could feel his tears falling now. He looked pathetic – crying for a person who doesn’t reciprocate his feelings. Of all people really to fall in love, he thought wryly. He furiously wiped his tears away.

He stared at Hoshi, desperation clear in his face and voice. “Do you really want to leave _me_ behind?”

“W-what do you mean?” the silver haired stuttered. “I-I... Wanting you to confess… I just wanted to help you,” he answered, his eyes pleading for Seungcheol to understand. He could understand clearly and completely Hoshi’s reason but it’s just so ironic and painful that the person helping him to confess was the _same_ person he wanted to confess to. He was screwed in so many levels. He sifted his fingers through his hair, sighing deeply.

“You don’t understand, Hosh,” he then said, staring intently at the silver haired. “I don’t want to confess,” he stated. “I don’t want to confess _ever_ ,” he admitted.

The silver haired stared at him confusedly, lips pursed. “Why?” he questioned. “Don’t you want your wish to come true?” he furthered. Seungcheol shook his head, sighing again. “I don’t want to,” he answered. “I don’t my wish to ever come true.”

“Why?” Hoshi asked. “Is it because the person you like doesn’t have feelings for you?” he told him, obviously assuming. Almond eyes turned into crescents then. “That’s an absurd thing to hesitate about, Choi Seungcheol,” he commented. “You’re a beautiful person both inside and out. I’d be the happiest person if you’d have feelings for me so I bet anyone-“

“STOP!” he screamed, stopping Hoshi’s rambling. His heart honestly couldn’t take it anymore. “You don’t understand,” he repeated. Seungcheol stared at the silver haired, pain obvious in his eyes. He was broken now, completely and maddeningly. “I don’t want my wish to be fulfilled because I don’t want you to leave,” he finally confessed, his voice close to a whisper. “I don’t want you to go back. I don’t want you to leave. I don’t want you to leave me behind.”

Hoshi got up from his bed and walked towards him. “Why?” he asked, eyes wide and open. Seungcheol instantly looked away, gulping nervously. “Tell me _why_ Choi Seungcheol,” he demanded, grabbing his arm. “Tell me why you don’t want me to leave,” he told him, tone terse and tense.

Seungcheol reluctantly met his gaze. He pulled his arm off of Hoshi’s hold and took a tentative step back. “Because it’s you,” he stated. “It’s you that I like – that I _love_.” He felt like a dam being released. His feelings were overwhelming him, brimming out of his heart like a flood. “I don’t want you to leave because I want to spend more time with you,” he continued. “I don’t want you to leave because I want you to stay here on Earth with us – with me.” He breathed in deeply and then released it slowly. “I am falling for you, Hoshi,” he finally admitted. “I am falling fast and sure; if not confessing would make you stay and keep you here, then I’d definitely do it in a heartbeat.” A woeful smile then stretched across his face. “But life really is full of surprises,” he told him wryly. “I really wanted you to stay but here I am confessing to you,” he chuckled darkly.

He rubbed his face with his hands in frustration, groaning lowly. His doe eyes then met with beady ones. Seungcheol tried to give him a warm and honest smile. He couldn’t.

“Good night, Hoshi,” he softly murmured. “This would probably be our last night together,” he added. “I don’t want it end in this way but…” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Good night,” he repeated. He then turned around, walking towards the door. He looked back at Hoshi and saw the silver haired frozen in place, still looking at him with wide eyes. He gave him a small smile. “I love you,” he weakly told him.

Seungcheol then left the room, leaving Hoshi and his heart with it.


	11. Something's amiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seeing the Music major would always give him intense emotions. His heart would usually beat like a drum. Sometimes his breath would be uneven. Most times he’d feel tears filling up in his eyes.
> 
> Seungcheol was honestly confused as to why. He loves Jihoon; he seriously does. But why does his heart keep on hurting whenever he sees him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time jump guys! Fast forward to Seungcheol's end of term in December. The Busan trip was around July which is usually summer in South Korea. Please don't get confused by the timeline! ^^

Seungcheol followed the slow trickle of condensation on his iced coffee; it was French vanilla – a tad sweet and bitter which was perfect for his taste buds. His drink has been sitting on the table untouched for so long, its ice cubes had already turned into water. His name was scrawled clumsily by the barista. They’d written his name wrongly even after he’d kindly spelled it out for them when they had asked. It’s S.Coups, not Scoops – you know, like Coup d’état with the first letter of his name.

A sigh then escaped from his lips. He mulled over the origin of his nickname. He could hardly remember where he’d gotten it or even _why_ he had such an alias; maybe Jun and Jisoo had made it up like their princess moniker for him. He honestly couldn’t remember at all.

His eyes then made its way to the hubbub outside the window. He was at a café just outside Hanyang, so the streets were crazily busy and abuzz with youth. Students were walking past, books in hand and hurrying towards their classes. Some were talking on their phone whilst some were chatting with their friends. Various emotions played out in front of him, piquing his curiosity.

A girl on a white dress was dragging her boyfriend along the streets, her expression clearly mad. Did she see the guy flirting with someone else? Or was she just throwing a tantrum?

The waiter from the restaurant in front was out for a smoke again. That was his tenth stick already since his shift started just two hours ago. Maybe the customers today were too hard to handle.

He heard the bells to the café’s door ring. An old man had just entered, a known professor from the College of Engineering. He’d talked to the professor a couple of times when the elder visited the observatory where Seungcheol has been working part-time. He always liked stopping by at the café for their chocolate cakes. He has an oddly and amusingly huge sweet tooth to be quite honest.

A group of girls were giggling by the table near the cashier. Their books were set aside, lain forgotten. It seemed like they’re gossiping about something on their phones. Or maybe they’re just texting each other about the couple fighting right across from them – he’d honestly never know.

Seungcheol stared at his drink again. He grabbed the cup and finally took a tiny sip of his diluted drink. He sifted his fingers through his hair, his thoughts turning pensive as he glanced out of the window.

Students were busy studying. Employees were busy working. Everyone seemed to be going through their lives just fine – unlike him. Like fishes in a pond, they’re moving on swimmingly well – unlike him. They’re thriving, passionate, and courageous – unlike him. Seungcheol’s honestly a little envious.

He had started in Hanyang in August; it’s now December. The past four months had somehow gone by in a quick blur for him. Though his days dragged on slowly and frustratingly, in some way, it passed by quickly without him noticing. Time had become such a strange concept for him lately.

He’d then lie awake at night in his bed for hours, staring at the ceiling and thinking over the events for the day.

Did something significant happen today? Submission of their story analysis on A Midsummer Night’s Dream. What color was Mr. Bang’s necktie today? It was red with tiny white dots. When will be the next college party? This coming Saturday at Johnny’s. Has his roommate fed the alley cats? Yes. Wonwoo had given them a can of Spanish tuna before coming home to their apartment.

He heavily sighed. Just like how he watched people through the café’s window, Seungcheol just watched these events occur in front of him. He was there but he also wasn’t.

A wallflower – that was the term Wonwoo had described him. His roommate was a first year Sociology major. He’s incredibly smart, awfully kind, and calmly quiet; so when Wonwoo commented out of nowhere that he was like a wallflower in his own life – just a month of living together – Seungcheol had a gut-wrenching awakening that something was amiss in his life.

He was still the same old Choi Seungcheol from Daegu. He was still the same old Choi Seungcheol who’s been friends with Jun and Jisoo since middle school. He was still the same old Choi Seungcheol who loves playing basketball. He was still the same old Choi Seungcheol who loves stargazing. But oddly enough, he frankly _wasn’t_ the same old Choi Seungcheol anymore. He truly wasn’t.

There’s an emptiness inside of him; a hollowness akin to amnesia – like he had forgotten something very important. His memory was fine but there was a nagging and incessant nudge at the recess between his consciousness and unconsciousness every now and then, telling him he’s an absolute idiot for forgetting. _What_ he forgot about exactly, Seungcheol has no idea.

The café’s bell rang again, reeling him out of his thoughts.

A mop of blond hair entered the café and made a beeline towards Seungcheol’s table. A smile then made its way onto his lips.

“It’s been a while, Jihoon-ah,” he greeted the blond. Jihoon made a face at him. “We just saw each other the other day, didn’t we?” he asked, his brows furrowed together. Seungcheol threw a tissue at him and scowled. “That was a week ago!” he said with a pout. “You’ve been busy with your music; you’ve forgotten all about me!” he all but whined.

The blond merely rolled his eyes, already used to his dramatics. “I’m here now, aren’t I?” he asked Seungcheol, a brow slightly raised in challenge. Seungcheol answered him with his own eye roll. “Just sit down already and tell me about your new song,” he said, deciding to change the subject instead. Jihoon laid his bag down on the seat next to him. He glanced at Seungcheol’s diluted coffee. “I’ll get you a new drink, I guess,” he said with a frown. He then made his way to the cashier, ignoring the look on Seungcheol’s face.

Seeing the Music major would always give him intense emotions. His heart would usually beat like a drum. Sometimes his breath would be uneven. Most times he’d feel tears filling up in his eyes.

Seungcheol was honestly confused as to why. He loves Jihoon; he seriously does. But why does his heart keep on hurting whenever he sees him?

 

**

Draco seemed to be in a good mood tonight. The constellation wasn’t hiding from him like he usually does so Seungcheol felt a little happy tonight.

Since he’d moved into his apartment in Seoul, there were only a few chances for him to see the fiery dragon. With all the city lights and pollution, stars could hardly be seen in plain sight; he had to borrow a telescope from the observatory just to keep on stargazing in the city. It wasn’t much of a hassle though since he’s working there after all. He’s just lucky Mr. Jung is a kind and generous man.

“You seem happy,” Wonwoo noted as he walked towards Seungcheol, coming out of his room.hey were fortunate enough to have found a decent two-bedroom apartment with reasonable rent and located near Hanyang. Seungcheol glanced at his roommate and smiled fully. “Draco’s visible tonight,” he simply told him. The Sociology major nodded his head, already aware of Seungcheol’s immense affinity towards stars. “Tonight’s going to be a good night then,” he replied.

Wonwoo checked his watch, a frown instantly appearing on his face. “We better get going now though or else we’d be late for the party,” he told Seungcheol. It was Saturday evening and their college, the College of Art and Physical Education, was holding a party to spread the spirit of Christmas. For Seungcheol though, it was only an excuse for students to get drunk. Final exams had just finished after all; everyone understandably wanted to relax and let go.

He patted his pockets and felt his phone, wallet, and keys. “I’m good to go,” he told Wonwoo, nodding his head.

The two then left their apartment; a night full of surprises awaiting them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly don't know anymore how this story would unfold... strayed from my original plot /lmao  
> Hmm. I think you all could guess what happened to Cheol's memory, right? //\\\\\\\\)


	12. Star of the night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doe eyes met with beady almond ones. Seungcheol sucked in a deep breath. Anger, longing, sadness, desperation, and a little bit of hope stirred inside of him. He felt like he had unleashed the monsters inside Pandora’s box with the way his emotions and mentality were being attacked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of updates ;_; I'm still adjusting to my work schedule so I could hardly write these days //\\\\\\\\)  
> I hope you'd like this new chapter though!

Johnny grew up in America. Born in Seoul but raised in Chicago, imposing height yet has a personality of a cotton candy, had returned to Korea for a degree in Finance. He’s pretty popular in among the students in Hanyang.

There’s always a party at Johnny’s. You want to socialize? Go to Johnny’s. You want to dance but don’t have money to go to a club? Go to Johnny’s. You want to get deadass drunk? Go to Johnny’s. You want to find your next boyfriend? Go to Johnny’s. His parties are exceptionally well-known, notorious even, that whenever Johnny would throw one, students from all faculties would come and party. And that’s where Seungcheol found himself on a Saturday night, just after finals, with his friends and classmates alike.

Flocks of people were at the dance floor; thrusting and grinding and frolicking all around. Red cups filled to the brim with God-knows whatever concoction Taeil had come up with were being passed around. The green mix looked suspiciously close to slime but the taste was close to any cocktails a topnotch bar would have served. Taeil, a second year Chemistry major, has a mad scientist streak and these parties were an outlet for him to mix up alcohol and some other questionable stuff into drinks no one would have ever tried if not for his seemingly innocent appearance. His mixes were infamous amongst the party crowd.  They were honestly ingenious; Seungcheol still has his hesitations though.

He and Wonwoo braved the mass of people in the supposedly small apartment and sought out their group of friends. Wonwoo caught sight of Jeonghan and Dongyoung by the kitchen; he grabbed Seungcheol’s arm and pulled him to the others.

“You’re here!” Jeonghan, a Nursing major, said in a way of greeting when he spotted the two. Dongyoung turned to them and smiled, automatically passing a bottle of beer each. Wonwoo grabbed his and slowly drank, his eyes sweeping around the familiar and unfamiliar faces. Seungcheol simply took his, not really wanting to drink just yet. “Where’s Taeyong?” he asked, looking for his friend. Dongyoung made a face. “Where he always is,” the Engineering major said, nodding to the dance floor. He searched the area for his friend and saw a familiar mop of black hair dancing with an unfamiliar silver haired. He could make out Taeyong’s features easily whilst the stranger he was dancing with had his back on him. Seungcheol merely shrugged and finally drank his beer.

Lee Taeyong was a Dance major whose part of the ‘in-crowd’ in their university; he’s practically royalty since everyone knew who he was and people usually fall at their knees when he dances. He’s also a soft boy whose scared of the dark which seriously contradicts his tough boy persona. Seungcheol’s honestly amused at people’s perception about him. His friend may be a fierce and powerful dancer on-stage, but in real life, Taeyong’s just a fluffy puppy who loves cuddling. He’s also Dongyoung’s long-term boyfriend. They’d dated since high school and had entered Hanyang together. The news of his relationship to the student body didn’t deter his popularity though. It only increased the number of his fans since he’s ‘out of their reach.’ They would always have a good time teasing the Dance major about it.

“Coups!” a booming voice said from behind him. Seungcheol turned around and saw the large built of Johnny making his way towards them. They bumped fists and did a half hug. “Hey Johns!” he greeted his friend. The other greeted the Johnny too.

“Have you tried Taeil hyung’s new concoction?” the giant enthusiastically asked them. Seungcheol glanced at Wonwoo, Dongyoung, and Jeonghan; they were all sporting hesitant expressions on their faces. His expression turned grim. He just knew Johhny would definitely drag them to taste this new drink. “What’s it made of this time?” Wonwoo bravely asked whilst drinking from his beer. Johnny shrugged, lips pursing in thought. “No idea at all,” he then answered. A cheeky smile stretched across his face, eyes twinkling. “But the taste’s mind-blowing!” he added, mischief clear in his stare.

They all looked at each other, assessing whether or not they should try this new concoction or not. Jeonghan seemed curious. Dongyoung was apprehensive but looked to be leaning on agreeing. Wonwoo just shrugged silently. Seungcheol internally sighed. Somehow his friends wanted _him_ to decide for them.

He stared at Johnny, making a face. The giant raised a brow challengingly. Seungcheol huffed and rolled his eyes. “If we puke our guts out, you’d be the one cleaning your floors anyway,” he answered, agreeing to the silent challenge. Johnny laughed, slinging his arm over Seungcheol’s shoulder. He dragged him towards the kitchen where Taeil had set up his alcohol lab, the others following behind them.

“Tonight’s drink, my man!” Johnny told the elder. Taeil nodded his head, a wicked smile appearing on his face. He quickly made the drink; mixing some beer and tequila and some liquor Seungcheol had no strength to learn about, then adding lime juice and honey, and chili too surprisingly, into the cocktail. In a flash, a cold black drink was sitting in front of Seungcheol. He stared at the mix suspiciously. He looked at Taeil, gaze questioning and doubtful. “I call it Black Hole,” the other stated proudly. “You’d feeling like getting sucked into the taste, somehow getting addicted to it,” he then explained, smile growing wider.

Seungcheol took a whiff of it, scrunching up his face after. He hesitantly took the drink in his hand and stared at the black swirling liquid, somehow getting pulled into its color. He stared at his friends’ eager faces, sighing internally. “Here’s to sucking the heck out of me!” he said, smiling slightly. “Cheers to your guts getting sucked out of your body!” Jeonghan added teasingly.

They all cheered, raising their drinks high above. The group of friends then toasted for a happy, tipsy night; Seungcheol just hoped he’d go home in one piece.

 

**

He had lost count of how many drinks he had had in the past hour or so. Wonwoo, Jeonghan, and Johnny had disappeared to God-knows-where whilst Dongyoung most probably went to Taeyong. The couple would most likely be making out by now. Seungcheol snorted at the thought. Taeyong and Dongyoung was that couple who wouldn’t get enough of each other honestly. They fight a lot but they make out a lot more – by far more than anyone had expected actually.

He stared at the new mix Taeil was coming up in front of him, his eyes squinting suspiciously when the elder added jalapeno in the drink. As much as Seungcheol wanted to stop drinking, Taeil’s drinks were atrociously delicious; even if he’d crawl back home, he knew he won’t regret drinking any of it since they were seriously worth it. He licked his lips, his throat suddenly feeling parched as he watched the elder mix his new drink.

“It’s Black Magic,” Taeil told him. “Just found its recipe online and wanted to try it out,” he furthered, pushing the drink towards Seungcheol. He tilted his head to the side, staring at Taeil amusedly. “What’s with you and black drinks tonight?” he mused, tips of his lips quirking upwards.

Taeil just shrugged his shoulders. “We’ve been studying about the components of tar and I got curious if there were drinks that could turn black,” he simply explained.

Seungcheol shook his head, chuckling under his breath. He took the drink and was about to take a tentative sip when people started cheering loudly. He stared at Taeil, an eyebrow raised. The elder shrugged his shoulder. They obviously didn’t know what the commotion was about.

The two then moved out of the kitchen and walked towards the commotion. They stepped into the living room, the space immensely filled with people. They were encircling the dance floor, cheering madly. Seungcheol and Taeil then made their way closer to the cause of the sudden cheer.

Ten, a Thai transfer student from the Department of Dance was battling with someone. They had shiny silver hair which seemed to be glittering under the lights. Seungcheol was immediately entranced.

The silver haired was dancing flawlessly; his body seemingly like water which flowed seamlessly yet were still powerful enough to bring out the strength. His moves were sensual, arousing in a way something stirred inside Seungcheol. His stomach was churning and twisting and flipping and flopping; he honestly didn’t know if his insides were being trampled on or what. His gut definitely felt like they were being sucked out of him. He clenched a hand over his chest, clutching his heart. His heartbeat was going wild, running rampant and mad. He stared at the silver haired closely, lips pursed as his emotions swirled and flourished.

Everyone loudly cheered when the silver haired finished his dance, including Seungcheol. He just noticed he had been holding in his breath since his eyes landed on the silver haired and he frankly didn’t know what that meant.

Ten and Taeyong approached the still unknown dancer – he has his back on Seungcheol so he hadn’t seen his face just yet. The three shook hands and laughed. They seemed to know each other. Maybe they were even friends since Ten, who was usually snobbish to people he didn’t know, had a full blown smile on his face.

He saw Jeonghan and Dongyoung were standing close to the three, Johnny was also approaching them from where he came from; so Seungcheol and Taeil made their way to reunite with their friends.

The silver haired was shaking hands with Johnny when they were closer. Taeyong first noticed them. He pointed in their direction and the group turned to them, including the silver haired. Seungcheol’s gaze instantly went to him. Eyes seemingly like crescents and silver hair like moonlight greeted him. He suddenly stopped in his track, his entire body unable to move. He was confused but his body refused to move an inch. He swallowed anxiously, his heart beating in staccato.

Doe eyes met with beady almond ones. Seungcheol sucked in a deep breath. Anger, longing, sadness, desperation, and a little bit of hope stirred inside of him. He felt like he had unleashed the monsters inside Pandora’s box with the way his emotions and mentality were being attacked.

“Hey!” Taeyong greeted them with a huge. Seungcheol could barely nod his head. He was still unable to move his body freely. He was honestly stupefied and he couldn’t understand why. Taeyong had his arm on the silver haired’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’ve seen this person’s moves,” he said, a teasing glint in his eyes. “He’s the pride and honor of our department, Kwon Soonyoung!” he proudly introduced the silver haired. _Soonyoung_ scowled at Taeyong. “Oh hush, Lee! That’s _your_ title!” he countered. Taeyong huffed. “Oh hush, Kwon!” he mimicked. “You’re a great dancer and you know it!”

The silver haired just grinned widely. He stared at the group of friends around him. He then locked eyes with Seungcheol. His heart honestly would have leapt out of his chest if it weren’t for his ribs. He gulped nervously.

“I’m Kwon Soonyoung,” he introduced himself with an exaggerated bow. “But you can also call me Hoshi,” he furthered. “It’s Japanese for-“

“Star,” Seungcheol had beat him to it. Soonyoung or _Hoshi_ ’s grin impossibly went wider. He nodded his head, a strange yet familiar glint in those beady almond eyes. “That’s right!” he told him. “Nice to meet you!” he said, extending a hand towards him.

Seungcheol stared at the hand and then back towards Soonyoung’s gaze. There was a twinkle in his dark brown orbs which didn’t bode well with him. His heart lurched. His heart felt like crying. But his heart also felt like rejoicing. He bit his lower lip, deep in thought. Something struck a chord inside his unconscious mind.

Kwon Soonyoung.

Hoshi.

Star.

Draco.

Wish.

Love.

The next thing Seungcheol knew he was staring Johnny’s ceiling, black dots appearing in his vision.

Soonyoung’s face then came to his line of sight. “Dream sweets, my little Coups. We have a lot of talking to do,” he said, smiling down at him. His eyes were sad but there was an emotion akin to relief washing over his expression. He honestly looked ethereal – just like a star.

A small smile made its way onto Seungcheol’s lips.

Kwon Soonyoung.

Hoshi.

Star.

His heart was brimming with emotions.

Somehow this scene was familiar to him. A sense of déjà vu swirled inside of him.

Seungcheol then dumbly nodded his head, the darkness soon enveloping him.


	13. Spring in winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tears then ran down his face. It was overflowing, unstoppable with its trek down his cheeks. The silver haired held his face, wiping away his tears. “Why are you crying?” he asked, a fond smile on his face despite the tears also threatening to fall from his eyes. Seungcheol squeezed his waist, trying not to sob. “I-“ He cleared his throat. “Just please don’t leave,” he told the silver haired. “Don’t leave me again,” he pleaded.
> 
> “I won’t,” the silver haired smiled at him, tears also falling down his face. “I won’t ever leave you again, my lil Coups,” he said. “I promise.”
> 
> Seungcheol nodded, his lips trembling. He closed his eyes and gave a soft kiss on the silver haired’s forehead. “I love you, Hoshi-yah,” he whispered. “I love you so so much.”

Seungcheol felt unusually warm. There was a fuzzy feeling stirring inside his heart, spreading across his chest. It’s like when his mom would make him cheese pancakes during Sundays; or when she makes samgyetang on hot summer days, filling not only his stomach but also his heart. It’s like when he first played basketball – that tingling sensation in his fingers when he first touched the ball and the giddiness of scoring his first basket. It’s like watching the night sky at the rooftop of his home, the stars twinkling beautifully and majestically and dazzlingly. It was calming, lulling, _reassuring_ ; as all of Seungcheol’s troubles was being blocked by this feeling, engulfing him into safety and security. He has no words at all.

He was content. He was unbelievably comfortable. For the very first time in months, Seungcheol felt lighter and brighter. It was honestly a bit overwhelming.

A smile then spread across his lips as he snuggled closer, smiling even wider when he felt an embrace enveloping him tighter; his heart was brimming with the soft and soothing warmth.

Silver hair then came to mind. The lovely locks were being illuminated by the moonlight, softly highlighting the shiny hues. Dark brown eyes were smiling at him and Seungcheol couldn’t help but be weak. The lovely orbs were fond, affectionate – and dare he say, loving. His heart was then filled with immense emotions.

A whimper escaped from him as the figure with silver locks came closer to him, smiling, grinning widely when Seungcheol opened his arms, inviting him in for an embrace. The silver haired ran to him, almost jumping into his arms and hugged him close and tight. Seungcheol had his arms around his waist, clinging onto the silver haired like he was afraid the silver haired would disappear if he didn’t hold him tighter. He honestly had no idea why but Seungcheol was scared to loosen his embrace; letting go was an option he didn’t want to take. He tightened his hold on the silver haired.

Tears then ran down his face. It was overflowing, unstoppable with its trek down his cheeks. The silver haired held his face, wiping away his tears. “Why are you crying?” he asked, a fond smile on his face despite the tears also threatening to fall from his eyes. Seungcheol squeezed his waist, trying not to sob. “I-“ He cleared his throat. “Just please don’t leave,” he told the silver haired. “Don’t leave me again,” he pleaded.

“I won’t,” the silver haired smiled at him, tears also falling down his face. “I won’t ever leave you again, my lil Coups,” he said. “I promise.”

Seungcheol nodded, his lips trembling. He closed his eyes and gave a soft kiss on the silver haired’s forehead. “I love you, Hoshi-yah,” he whispered. “I love you so _so_ much.”

 

**

With a start, Seungcheol woke up. His entire body was drenched in sweat, the sticky feeling waking his numbed mind. He then clutched his chest. His heart was beating wildly inside, as if wanting to leap out of its confines. He made to get out of bed but realized there was an arm securely wrapped around his torso. Suddenly remembering where he was last night, he lowly cursed. He had forgotten what had happened after he and Taeil went to the dance floor. As far as he could remember, _nothing_ major happened – or maybe he was just in denial, there was a stranger sharing his bed after all.

He shook his head. He knew he needed to get this over and done with _if_ he had slept with anyone in his inebriated state. At least he was in his own room, he thought.

A grimace then made its way onto his face. That was worse when you just wanted a one off actually. He cursed himself again.

Seungcheol anxiously looked down. He still had his shirt on. Relief washed over him briefly before his eyes saw the stranger’s arm. He took in a deep breath. He followed the arm to know whom it belonged to.

His heart then stopped and started, drumming madly inside his chest. Silver hair was peeking out of the covers. He didn’t need to know whom the stranger was.

It seems like fate was playing with him now as images from his dream quickly flash in his mind. He silently cursed his luck and drunk self. _‘Honestly! Of all people, Choi Seungcheol!’_ he mentally scolded himself.

He then gently pried the arm off of him, trying not to wake the silver haired dancer. He then quietly walked out of his room.

Wonwoo was at the table, eating some soup. “Doyoung brought this over,” his roommate said, pointing to the pot placed in the middle of their dining table. Seungcheol could smell the alluring smell of Doyoung’s famous hangover soup, his stomach rumbling at the thought.

He took a seat and started putting some of the soup on his bowl. He was silently grateful that Wonwoo had already set the table.

He then started eating, ignoring the additional bowl and utensils on his right. He needed some food in him before he’d ask _what_ happened last night. Seungcheol knew he needed his mind and wit for it.

 

**

He could feel his roommate’s gaze on him. It was obvious Wonwoo’s trying not to say something but was having a hard time not to. Seungcheol then sighed. He put down his spoon and bowl, eyes now on his roommate.

“Out with it,” he huffed, ruffling his hair. Soonyoung was still asleep in his room so it was better to have _the_ talk with his roommate now than later. He raised an eyebrow at Wonwoo, impatiently tapping his fingers on the table as he waited for the blow.

The corners of Wonwoo’s lips lifted slightly. Seungcheol wasn’t sure if that’s a good sign or not. He gulped nervously.

“Nothing really,” his roommate drawled out. “Just an interesting case of you being uncharacteristically clingy,” he furthered, nonchalantly checking his nails whilst he subtlety studied him. Seungcheol’s brows furrowed together. “I _what?_ ” he asked, his tone disbelieving. He stared at his roommate like he had grown three heads. “You know I tend to be clingy to people when I’m drunk,” he countered, sounding pretty defensive. He knew his drunk tendencies and being clingy wasn’t new to him or his friends at all.

Wonwoo smirked at him. “Ah! Yes!” he exclaimed. “The infamous koala Cheol,” he said, chuckling amusedly. Seungcheol glared at him. “Just tell me what the _heck_ did I do last night that Kwon _freaking_ Soonyoung is in my bed as we speak?” he grounded out.

The Cheshire grin on the other was disarming to be quite honest. “Well~” he said, tapping his chin. Wonwoo was definitely teasing him. “You like clinging onto people, right?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. “Like hugging them and such.” Seungcheol nodded his head. That’s what he usually does as far as he knows. Did he do something worse to Soonyoung last night? He gulped anxiously. His palms had started to sweat.

“You cried when they pulled you away from me,” a voice then said from behind him.

Seungcheol jumped at the suddenness, his head quickly turning to the voice’s owner. His eyes were wide and wild, heart beating maddeningly inside his chest. Dark brown orbs were looking at him amusedly, a mischievous glint twinkling in his eyes. He was at a loss for words.

He stared at the silver haired standing in front of him, wearing _his_ clothes, and then back to his roommate. He was honestly having a hard time to believe what he had just said.

“I _what_?” he squeaked. “I cried?” he asked, wanting to make sure he had heard right.

Wonwoo and Soonyoung nodded their heads. “Like a baby,” the silver haired not so kindly added.

He was _beyond_ dumbfounded. He cried. He freaking _cried._ His life was over!

Seungcheol groaned, slumping his body on the table. “I did not,” he grumbled. “Please tell I didn’t do that,” he said, eyes pleading to his roommate to tell him they were just playing with him.

“You did,” Wonwoo confirmed with another nod. “We decided to go home when you suddenly fainted on the floor. We all had too much to drink anyway,” he started to explain. “On our way home, you wouldn’t let go of Soonyoung’s shirt, practically clinging onto him. When we tried to pry your hands off of him, you seriously cried, babbling something I honestly couldn’t understand,” he continued, staring at Seungcheol with his brows knotted together. “You even talked in your sleep, asking for _Hoshi_ not to leave you again over and over,” he added. “So we just decided to let Soonyoung crash at our apartment _since_ you didn’t want to let go of him,” he ended with a shrug.

His heart dropped. He was immensely embarrassed. He stared at Soonyoung, not knowing what to say. He closed his eyes and groaned, rubbing his face in frustration.

“It’s alright,” Soonyoung told him, patting his head. “You were cute when you cried,” he said. Seungcheol just knew he had _that_ smile on his face at the moment. _That_ smile from his dreams. He just knew it.

He groaned again. “I’m sorry,” he told the silver haired, doe eyes unable to meet those dark brown ones. “I-I honestly didn’t know what had come to me,” he tried to reason.

Soonyoung held his face with both hands, making Seungcheol stare up at him. As he had guessed, he had _that_ smile on his face. He could see the soft fondness, the warm affection, the brewing care, and the unbelievable love swimming in Soonyoung’s dark brown orbs. His heart clenched in pain. He wanted to reach out and caress the silver haired’s face too but he found his body unable to move an inch. So Seungcheol just gazed back at Soonyoung, getting lost in his eyes.

“I said it was alright,” Soonyoung repeated, his words calm and soft. “So don’t worry about it, my lil Coups. I owe you after all,” he said, pinching his cheeks.

Seungcheol stared at him confusedly. “You owe me what?” he asked. Soonyoung caressed his face and said, “You’ll know in time, my lil Coups.”

He stared at the silver haired, his thoughts boggled up. He couldn’t remember meeting Soonyoung before the party last night. He’d be an _idiot_ to forget someone as dazzling as Kwon Soonyoung to be quite honest. Not knowing what to say – again, Seungcheol just nodded his head, eyes still on Soonyoung and unable to look away.

“Flowers would be blooming this winter,” he faintly heard Wonwoo say but he didn’t pay it so much a mind. He was entranced with Soonyoung’s eyes, the twinkle in those lovely orbs alarmingly familiar. It stirred a strange feeling in his heart.

He found his hand on Soonyoung’s cheek, images from his dream flashing through his mind. Somehow, Seungcheol felt the same with his dream self. He didn’t want Soonyoung to leave. He honestly didn’t. But _why_ exactly, Seungcheol would definitely find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk if this fluffy enough for you but I hope you'd like it ;u;


	14. Something intriguing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was looking for that person – a blur of a face he could never quite remember other than the rapid beating of his heart whenever he’d try to dredge up his memories. It was intriguing for him, the endless search for a faceless person buried so deep in his mind; Wonwoo was only eighteen yet somehow he felt like he had already lived for a hundred. He was curious, honestly quite passionate to uncover the memories suppressed in his unconsciousness. He wanted to know. Oh how desperately he wanted to know indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for being on hiatus for so long ;_; work has been consuming me lately so I've been off for weeks. Not much sooncheol in this chapter I'm afraid but don't worry! This little side story is still relevant with the main story! Just wait and see ^^

He had always been searching. Gazing through the crowds, looking for something. For what, he doesn’t exactly know but deep inside the recesses of his mind, there was something he just had to look for.

Desperately.

Painstakingly.

He wanted to find it.

 _Needed_.

Maybe that’s why he took up Sociology. He wanted to study the society, understand the numerous complexities in the various social norms and personalities in order to find whatever it was he’s looking for – or quite longing for.

It has been a habit of his ever since he could remember; he was looking for something. Or rather for _someone_.

He has no idea why he felt like he’s searching for someone yet somehow he does. He always does.

He was looking for that person – a blur of a face he could never quite remember other than the rapid beating of his heart whenever he’d try to dredge up his memories. It was intriguing for him, the endless search for a faceless person buried so deep in his mind; Wonwoo was only eighteen yet somehow he felt like he had already lived for a hundred. He was curious, honestly quite passionate to uncover the memories suppressed in his unconsciousness. He wanted to know. Oh how desperately he wanted to know indeed.

 

**

Wonwoo leisurely sipped from the red cup in his hands, Taeil’s new concoction slowly going down his throat. He could taste the strong kick of vodka and something bizarrely sweet and sour mixing in his tongue. His brows furrowed together slightly. The taste was beyond amazing as per Taeil’s usual mixes but he wasn’t fond of it. He preferred something less flashy, the taste of alcohol a tad hidden in the drink; something like a fruity cocktail or just plain old freezing beer and he’d be content. He liked to keep things simple.

His gaze curiously scanned the crowd. He was leaning against a wall, drink in hand, whilst observing the many familiar and unfamiliar faces roaming around the floor. Johnny’s apartment wasn’t huge per se but somehow, the limited space of his living room could cater to the endless stream of people going in and out of his friend’s humble abode. Even the kitchen didn’t seem too crowded.

He could make out the faces of his friends through the dim flashing lights.  Taeil and Seungcheol were at the kitchen, the latter being the Chemistry major’s designated taste tester for the night. Wonwoo was sure he’d be carrying his roommate’s drunk ass home. He didn’t mind much. Seungcheol seemed to be going through something ever since he’d met the other – as to what it was, Wonwoo had no slight clue. His roommate always had an air of detachment in his opinion; a trait Wonwoo could wholeheartedly empathize with.

Jeonghan was chatting with his classmates whilst Dongyoung looked on the dance floor, most probably watching over his enthusiastic dancer of a boyfriend. Said boyfriend was doing a dance battle with a silver haired guy whilst Ten was at the sides, cheering for the both of them. Wonwoo had a glimpse of the other dancer and was slightly surprised at the familiarity tugging at his heart. There was something about the silver haired which stirred _something_ at the back of his mind. There was indeed a strange sense of familiarity swirling inside of him. He anxiously gulped and tried to calm his nerves. He’d observe the silver haired once his mind – and somehow heart – would freaking calm down.

His eyes then moved towards where Johnny stood. He was at the DJ booth, his back to the dance floor and was talking animatedly with the jockey he had booked for the night. Wonwoo listened to the upbeat music blaring through the speakers. It had a good rhythm which had him banging along the beats. The DJ tonight was surely a talented one, he thought. His friend picked a banger tonight.

Johnny then bumped fists with the DJ and left, disappearing into the crowds. He’s the host after all. His friend was most likely entertaining somebody else at the party. Or just flirting with some guy or girl. Johnny was flexible as far as he knew.

White blond hair then suddenly caught his attention. His gaze froze at the DJ booth, seeing a small stature with headphones on his ears and hands playing with his equipment. Wonwoo’s heart started to stutter crazily, as if wanting to leap out of his chest. His hand unconsciously grasped tightly the red cup he was holding. He didn’t even notice the liquid spilling from his hand and onto the floor. He didn’t notice anything at all except the way the DJ’s nimble fingers beautifully created the beats. The loud music had somehow become white noise. Wonwoo couldn’t hear anything at all aside from the increasing stuttering of his heart. Bile rose up to his throat. He wasn’t even drunk yet but somehow the contents of his stomach wanted an out. He furiously pushed the feeling down. He stared at the DJ, honestly entranced with the way the strobe lights ethereally illuminated his features. He suddenly felt parched.

As if sensing his gaze, the DJ looked up from his equipment and searched through the crowd. Their gazes eventually met and Wonwoo could clearly see – even from a distance and the dim lights – that the DJ’s entire body stiffened, frozen still and shocked. Something flashed across the other’s eyes – which Wonwoo somehow knew was a beautiful chocolate color. He wanted to run – either towards the alluring blond or away from him, yet his feet stayed rooted on the floor, his legs unable to cooperate.

Wonwoo was the first look away. He honestly couldn’t hold the intensity the blond was staring at him with. He couldn’t discern what it was but the other’s stare left him a little… bothered. It was something he hardly ever felt. It was honestly quite disconcerting. He released a breath he didn’t even notice he was holding.

All of a sudden, his friends rushed towards the dance floor. Seungcheol had suddenly fainted at the middle of the crowd which somehow unfroze Wonwoo’s frozen limbs. He pushed through the throngs of people, eager to reach his roommate.

He helped pull Seungcheol up from the floor and placed a supporting hand on his back, the silver haired dancer from earlier practically supporting the entire weight of his roommate.

He was slightly intrigued. There was a fondness laced in his voice when he had faintly heard the dancer utter Seungcheol’s nickname. Lil Coups, he said. It was only a subtle affliction in his tone but with years of observing people under his belt, Wonwoo had clearly heard it. His dear friend and roommate, utterly smashed and unconscious, was fully leaning on the dancer; he could feel the attraction tingling in his bones. It was fairly intriguing indeed.

They laid Seungcheol on Johnny’s bed, the dancer – which Wonwoo now knew as Soonyoung – was by his friend’s side, watching over him with a small smile playing on his lips. He simply raised a brow at the affection the silver haired had for his roommate.

He then made his way out of the room with the others. He somehow felt they were intruding on a private moment between them.

As he quietly closed the door behind him, a flash of white blond hair came towards them. The DJ was talking with Taeyong, a worried expression on his face.

“Is Cheol okay?” he heard the blond ask. Oh, Wonwoo thought. The DJ seemed to know Seungcheol and was clearly worried about him. Anyone would be after all since he had suddenly fainted at the middle of the dance floor. Yet somehow he couldn’t quite squelch the uncomfortable feeling stirring inside his stomach. It was akin to jealousy. He desperately tried to push it down.

“He’s okay, Ji,” Taeyong answered with a sigh, giving the blond a comforting pat on the shoulder. “He probably had too much to drink,” he said, grimacing at the thought of inducing every drink Taeil had come up with for the night. He nodded towards the room where they had just exited. “Soonyoung’s inside watching over him if you want to check on him,” his friend added.

The blond shook his head. “If he’s in there with Cheol, then I won’t need to worry,” he replied, sighing but smiling right after. “Soonyoung wouldn’t let anything happen to Cheol anyway,” he amusedly mumbled, a devilish smirk ghosting his face.

Wonwoo’s interest was totally piqued now. So the blond knows his roommate _and_ the dancer. Quite well too so it seems if he’d noticed the attraction between them even just for a short moment of witnessing it.

Very intriguing indeed.

 

**

Before leaving Johnny’s apartment, Wonwoo learnt the DJ’s name was Lee Jihoon. _The_ Lee Jihoon his roommate couldn’t stop talking about.

That night, it was the very first time Wonwoo felt the bitterness of life.

If he had thrown Seungcheol onto his bed a little _too_ roughly, no one would ever know. Well aside from Soonyoung since his roommate had clung onto him like the koala that he was when drunk. But he wouldn’t need to worry. The glint of understanding in the silver haired’s eyes was indication enough for Wonwoo that his secret would be safe.

He then knew Soonyoung would be a great addition in their lives. Especially for Seungcheol. Maybe the silver haired would be the one to _finally_ break into the wall his roommate had unconsciously set up around him. Soonyoung was, in his opinion, as dog-headed as Seungcheol was. His roommate might just have found his match.

 

**

Wonwoo was laying on the grass, hands behind his head as he bathed in the warm sun. A soft voice was singing in the background; it was of a man, sweet and melodious. He opened his eyes and took a peak at the man sitting just a few feet away from him.

He was strumming a guitar, eyes closed and a serene expression on his face. He utterly looked breathtakingly ethereal; Wonwoo never knew any man could be so beautiful.

The man then opened his eyes and his gaze immediately went to Wonwoo. He stopped singing and playing the guitar. He then smiled sheepishly, a tinge of pink dusting his cheeks. He had always been shy about his voice. Wonwoo reached out and brushed the blond locks off his forehead. He smiled back. “Your voice truly is amazing,” he told the other. “Please sing for me, Jihoon.”

Jihoon simply nodded his head, ears turning a vibrant red. He started to strum his guitar again and sang. Wonwoo returned to laying on his back and basked in the moment. He never felt so contented in his life. As long as he’s with Jihoon, he thought with a smile. As long as the blond is with him, Wonwoo would die happily when his sickness would finally consume him.

 

**

Wonwoo woke up with a start. His heart was beating so fast, it was as if he had run a mile and back. He clutched his chest and tried to calm himself down. His hands were shaking excessively. He tried to stop the tremors but it was futile. He was hyperventilating. He was having a freaking panic attack.

He closed his eyes and tried to breath. Inhale. Exhale. He told himself. He needed to calm down. He freaking needed to calm the heck down.

The same white blond hair. The same devilish smirk. The same angelic voice. He honestly couldn’t believe it at all.

Had he been searching for Jihoon all along?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll see you very soon, okay? &&& IDEAL CUT IN MANILA IN 3 DAYS OH MY GOD FGSKM /holla at me when you see me i don't bite ;u;


	15. Just maybe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soonyoung. Soonyoung. Soonyoung. Every little inch of his mind was screaming for Kwon Soonyoung.

He stared, more like gawked, at the scene unfolding in front of him. His friends – his _best_ of friends since middle school – were cozying up to a complete stranger. They were laughing, joking around, and playing as if they weren’t practically strangers just an hour ago. They were talking like old chums! Seungcheol was _beyond_ floored. Even Seokmin seemed to have taken a liking to the stranger!

Well, he was no stranger per se. Seungcheol _knew_ him. They were… acquaintances, schoolmates for lack of a better word. But still, Seungcheol was miffed his friends just had to like Kwon _freaking_ Soonyoung of all people. He somehow felt betrayed.

His gaze zoned in on the now familiar silver haired, trying but seriously failing on pouting.

It was Thursday. _The_ Thursday he and his friends had planned to meet and hang-out. Jisoo and Jun were only a train ride away so they make it a point to meet up every now and then, their busy college lives never hindering the friendship they had cultivated for years. Thursdays were mostly _their_ days. Just the three of them. Just the three musketeers. Just Seungcheol, Jisoo, and Jun. But it seemed like this week was an exception.

They had planned on hanging out at a dog cafe near Seungcheol’s university. It was also convenient for a mini reunion because their friend whom they’ve met from their short trip to Busan, sweet and innocent Lee Seokmin, was also working in that particular cafe. They get to meet up _and_ play with dogs, it’s a win-win situation for everyone honestly. Well that was what Seungcheol thought _before_ seeing the moonlight colored hair he has grown scarily familiar with. He should have known life never really did what he wanted.

Silver locks and crescent-shaped orbs has become a begrudgingly day by day occurrence for Seungcheol. Ever since Johnny’s party, he realised, Kwon Soonyoung has become a part of his daily life – usually without his own volition – and has no way of stopping the guy, whose alias was either egoistical or perfectly descriptive of his persona, to slither in his routine like he had been there the whole entire time. It was aggravating. _Really_ aggravating. Kwon Soonyoung just steamrolled into his life and Seungcheol, poor little Choi, somehow couldn’t say no.

Kwon Soonyoung, a.k.a. the bottomless ball of energy shaped as a human. Or as Seungcheol has fondly called him, the eternal sunshine with a chaotic mind.

 

**

Soonyoung started to eat lunch with him. _Him._ He. Choi Seungcheol. Eighteen turning nineteen. Athletic and competitive. Undeniably manly. He gawked like a freaking goldfish.

It started last Monday, just a day after his embarrassing and intense Sunday morning with the dancer and his roommate. He prayed to the gods to not see a sliver of silver - forever was a better option honestly yet Seungcheol knew he couldn’t push his luck. A day or two was already fine – but of course, life just gave him a curve ball, hitting him unexpectedly in the guts. Fate was seriously playing with him now.

He was at the cafeteria, sitting and eating alone at a table by the windows, seeing no hair nor hide from his friends – which was rather unsettling since they _always_ have lunch together as much as their schedules and deadlines allowed them to – when a tray was noisily put down on his left and a dramatic heap of silver and blue slid to the seat beside him. Seungcheol jumped in surprise, his pork cutlets dropping messily onto his plate, and glared. He glared at the culprit, doe eyes meeting almond, who in turn flashed him an apologetic grin.

“Mr. Lee was terrible,” he started to ramble, taking a cutlet from Seungcheol’s tray and eating it, cheeks puffing and pout jutting. Seungcheol, confused and unbelieving of the company he had unwillingly gained, sat and dumbly listened to the rant.

Honestly, all he could think of as flailing arms and exaggerated sighs filled his lunch break was: What the heck is Kwon Soonyoung doing here?

 

**

Seungcheol and Soonyoung then started to become lunch buddies. _Conveniently_ (note the sarcasm), they had similar schedules.

 

**

Tuesday’s debacle was less dramatic but still eerily surprising.

Seungcheol was rushing to his part-time job, an observatory just at the edges of the city with an amazing view of stars, city lights, and life. He didn’t need the extra cash, his parents were willingly paying for everything, but the black and yellow and silver flyer he had seen taped to their apartment’s announcement board had somehow reeled him in.

Star light, star bright. For constellations and cosmos, join the team! - it said in bold Arial. The ad was horrible and cheesy and downright garish yet Seungcheol, being the star enthusiast that he was, took the flyer, resume in hand, and joined the team.

He was by the entrance, huffing and coughing despite his strong build and eager stamina. Climbing a hill and numerous flights of stairs without stopping for a breath was no easy matter – athletic or not, gravity will always drag your body down after all. His forehead touched the soothing glass, subsequently cooling down his high adrenaline rush. Soon his breathing was back to normal.

Seungcheol was about to enter through the employee's lounge when a flash of silver caught his eyes. He stopped in his stride, eyes widening in surprise and disbelief by the second.

Standing by the reception area was his senior at work, Jooheon, who was getting his cheeks squished by his boyfriend, Minhyuk, who was most probably just dropping by to see the former. But it wasn’t the cheesy couple Seungcheol has his eyes on. Nope. Not at all. It was the third person in the group, teasing and giggling at his now pouting senior. He honestly couldn’t believe it.

Maybe they were friends. Minhyuk was friendly and kind and smart. So was Jooheon. But they weren’t going to Hanyang like he was or the other person. How can _that person_ know them? The better question was: did he know Seungcheol works at the observatory?

Seungcheol knew coincidences like this also happens in real life; all that stupidly cliche stuff about fate and destiny they put in dramas just to reel in those ratings. He honestly wasn’t expecting it to happen in his.

Familiar glinting almond eyes then met with befuddled doe ones. Feeling like a deer caught on headlights, Seungcheol quickly threw him a smile, hoping it didn’t look like a grimace, and ducked his head, praying the other wouldn’t approach him. With that thought tauntingly ringing in his mind, Seungcheol scurried off to the lounge, locking the door behind him.

He honestly didn’t want to think about it but, “what the heck is Kwon Soonyoung doing here?!”

 

**

Maybe Soonyoung had always visited the observatory. Maybe he had always been friends with Jooheon or Minhyuk. Maybe he had talked to him before. Maybe he had sat with him on the bus or on the train. Maybe they had passed by each other. Maybe he was just another blur among the endless sea of faceless people that Seungcheol failed to notice. Seoul was a huge city after all. He couldn’t remember every face he has seen after all.

If Kwon Soonyoung had been there all along, Seungcheol should have known. Soonyoung’s bright personality and warmth which could rival the sun was extremely hard not to notice. _Especially_ with a smile as beautiful as his.

Seungcheol would have noticed. He definitely would have. Because Soonyoung was like a star and stars could reel people in like gravity, right?

 

**

Wednesday came and he was not as surprised at seeing Soonyoung as he had been the last two days. Seungcheol was, after all, in the dance studios. Soonyoung, being a Dance major himself, would definitely be in the building unlike Seungcheol who was feeling like a lost puppy with all the people loitering around. Actually, it seemed like hallway was filled to the brim with students, rushing and walking and loitering. Everyone seemed to be busy and bustling.

Feeling slightly suffocated, Seungcheol went into the first room he could reach. Hearing the blaring music, it was obviously an occupied room. An apology was at the tip of his tongue, ready to say sorry for rudely barging in their practice, when his eyes landed on silver locks swept up with sweat and focused beady almond eyes staring intently at the mirrored wall. He stood frozen, voice caught on his throat as he watched and stared and gaped.

It was Soonyoung and he was dancing. _No._ He was flowing like water surging through the river. Seungcheol was honestly stunned. He could feel the beat and rhythm of the song pulsing throughout the room. It was Bad by Christopher if Seungcheol was remembering it right.

He closed his eyes, unbelieving of the strong and dominating aura emanating from the dancer. The Soonyoung he knew was nothing like the Soonyoung in front of him. He’s always goofing around. He’s always bubbling and bursting with excitement. He was supposed to be that way. _Not_ serious and alluring and captivating and hot and freaking _sexy_. Stars are bright and warm yet the one in front of him was _making_ him warm. Stifling, actually. It was getting rather stifling.

Seungcheol gulped, hand desperately clutching the book towards his chest. He honestly couldn’t stay any longer. He might combust if he did.

Gathering himself, Seungcheol turned around and left the room, cursing his roommate under his breath. He still needs to give the damn book to Dongyoung. That was the reason _why_ he was at the dance studios anyway. Taeyong was here thus Dongyoung would most likely be here too. They were joined by the hip after all. But why did he have to return Dongyoung’s book if Wonwoo was the one who borrowed it? The sociology major should be grateful Seungcheol was a great friend.

“Stupid roommate and stupid friends,” he grumbled, oblivious to the almond eyes staring longingly at his rigid back. Soonyoung could only desperately sigh when Seungcheol disappeared into the hallway.

 

**

His thoughts were then reeled back into the present. A fluffy corgi had planted itself on his lap and was cutely nuzzling his stomach. Seungcheol smiled at the action. He ruffled the dog’s fur, scratching his head and then down to his stomach. The little bugger just barked happily.

“Are you going tomorrow?” a voice then said from beside him. Seungcheol was then met with wide curious almond eyes. His heart did not just jump to his throat. Nope. It definitely did not.

“Wha-?” he intelligibly replied. He stared dumbly at glinting dark brown orbs. The tips of Soonyoung’s lips curled upwards. “Tomorrow,” he said, amusement clear in his voice. “Are you going to the concert tomorrow?”

It took him a while to realize Soonyoung was talking about the Christmas special the Performing Arts majors were putting up on Friday. Tomorrow, his brain quickly corrected.

He blinked once, twice, and then thrice when it hit him that Soonyoung was waiting for his answer. He was _anticipating_ it. He anxiously gulped.

Soonyoung would be at the concert. Soonyoung would be _performing_ at the concert. Images from his little sneak peek from yesterday flashed through his mind. Dominant Soonyoung. Fierce Soonyoung. Sexy as hell Soonyoung. Soonyoung. Soonyoung. _Soonyoung_. Every little inch of his mind was screaming for Kwon Soonyoung. Seungcheol gulped once again. He suddenly felt parched.

He nodded once, and then twice just to make sure. He didn’t trust his voice at the moment. He just knew it would come out as breathless as he was currently feeling.

The silver haired smiled, grin widening as Seungcheol stared more and more. He could feel the waves of excitement coursing through the dancer. His gaze softened, just a fracture of a miniscule. It was unnoticeable, honestly, but it was still there.

Seungcheol then fondly watched as Soonyoung took the corgi from his lap and made silly faces, shaking and ruffling and cuddling the little pup.

Warmth spread throughout his chest. He was now talking with Jun and they were laughing so openly, so brightly. Seeing Soonyoung with his friends, seeing his friends with Soonyoung… It somehow made sense. Like he belonged there. Like he was the missing piece to their group of three. He belonged there, amongst the laughter, the jokes, the friendship. Soonyoung definitely belonged there. He belonged with them.

Maybe, he thought with a smile. Just _maybe_ Kwon Soonyoung was meant to be their fourth musketeer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys have noticed, I deleted the earlier chapter 14 and had rewritten it as as the 15th. I was unsatisfied with the first one thus deciding on doing it again. Plus I think it was better to put this as the new chapter 15 since the next chapter would be closely following this one. ^^  
> Sorry for being on-hiatus for such a long time~ I'm really trying on fighting my productivity levels ;u;  
> See you again soon! Ja ne~
> 
> /A


	16. No escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soonyoung stood at the balcony, staring straight at him. He has a smile playing on his face, his eyes were glinting. It wasn’t the usual mischievous twinkle though. No. It was different. Extremely different.
> 
> Words seem to fail for Seungcheol at the moment.

Seungcheol stared at the dim stage, heartbeat wild and roaring. The tiny muscle was stuttering inside his chest; actually, thundering would be the best word to describe the mad staccato within the confines of his ribcage. His chest felt like there was a thunderstorm raging inside.

 _Anxious_.

He was certainly anxious.

The showcase hasn’t started yet. He honestly felt like he had been waiting for a lifetime even though it had only been a couple of minutes since they had arrived. He then looked down at the bouquet sitting awkwardly on his lap.

It was a mixture of flowers enthusiastically made by the sweet old lady selling outside the theatre. “Your star would definitely love it!” she assured him with a wide glinting smile. Unconsciously, he clutched the bouquet tightly, palms immensely sweating.

He had bought it on a whim, honestly. The bouquet seemed to be a good idea for a congratulatory gift – that’s what people give for performances, right? – when he saw the flowers but right now, the beautiful arrangement just seemed to be taunting him. Seungcheol swallowed thickly, feeling thorns in his throat as his mind whirled with the different meanings the flowers possessed.

The purple iris, Wonwoo explained, meant admiration whilst the soft pink carnation meant pride. It was fitting, Seungcheol mused, because he knew – _knows_ – he admires Soonyoung and is quite proud of the dancer. He had interacted enough with the silver haired to know he’s hard working and extremely passionate _especially_ when it came to dancing.

His eyes then flitter to the soft lilac flowers. They were called stargazers. They got their name because the flowers bloom whilst facing the sky. (It honestly sounded like they were basking in the moonlight instead of the sun.) The stargazer signifies optimism, fulfillment of dreams, and endless possibilities; it was a befitting flower for a star like Soonyoung. It suited him, fits him _too well_ in all honesty.

“It’s like a flower version of you,” his roommate candidly commented. “You always look up at the sky,” he furthered. “ _Especially_ when the stars are out and bright,” he added, lips curling in amusement. Seungcheol just rolled his eyes at the teasing.

Then the last flower in his hands was called viscaria; a flower which made his heart leap out once he had known its meaning. According to Wonwoo, giving a dancer viscaria was some kind of an invitation, a seemingly subtle way of asking them to dance with you, to _flirt_ with you. “Flirtation,” he had said with a ghost of a smirk appearing on his lips, “it’s innocuous yet holds a deeper meaning.”

Seungcheol wondered just _why_ the old lady chose that specific flower for his friendly gift. He wasn’t even trying to _woo_ Kwon Soonyoung! He bit his lower lip in thought. Maybe he was just overthinking. Dongyoung bought a bouquet too. As well as Jaehyun! He couldn’t help but cringe at his slow realization. They bought those flowers for their _boyfriends_. They were in a relationship with the person they plan on giving the bouquets to; it was entirely different from Seungcheol and Soonyoung’s seemingly-friends-but-not-exactly-friends kind of relationship. That realization alone made his stomach flip and churn uncomfortably.

Someone then announced the start of the program. Seungcheol stared at the now lit stage, heart still persistent in its hammering. He took a deep breath. He might as well enjoy the show. He wouldn’t need to give Soonyoung the flowers right now anyway. His dilemma could be put on hold _after_ the performances.

That thought didn’t quell his anxiety though.

 

**

Captivating – that was the first word which came to Seungcheol's mind as he watched Soonyoung and the other dancers perform their set. He was seriously entranced, his eyes never leaving the silver haired. Soonyoung danced with so much prowess, his stage presence alone commanded anyone and everyone's attention. As the music continued on, his moves became sharper and edgier and sexier. The silver haired was giving it his all. He was pouring out his heart into the performance, Seungcheol could clearly see that. Warmth spread throughout his chest.

Soonyoung was definitely born to be under the spotlight. He was truly meant to shine like a star he has proudly named himself as. He was amazing. Seungcheol was honestly filled with pride, his heart brimming and swelling and overflowing with immense emotions for the silver haired. He swallowed thickly.

Kwon Soonyoung was beautiful – enthrallingly, enchantingly, ethereally – he was eternally beautiful.

Seungcheol clutched his chest. Something was stirring inside of him. Emotions were madly and frantically churning. He felt like there was an inner battle happening inside his chest. It’s like someone was unlocking emotions he had buried deep within the confines of his heart. It was painful, scary, and avidly overwhelming. He has no idea why his heart was in turmoil at the moment but somehow, he knew – oh how he seriously knew – it was because of the silver haired on stage.

His grip tightened on the bouquet, as if the arrangement was his life-line, his buoy to keep his emotions at bay.

Sadly, it didn’t work.

 

**

Seungcheol pushed past through the crowded space, his gaze set on a certain silver haired. He ignored the glares, the shouts. He ignored it all. He was dead set on going to the most frustrating he has ever met in his life. He wanted to smack that wide grin off his face but at the same time smother him in a bear hug. Seungcheol honestly couldn’t explain as to _why_ he felt that way but he was given up trying to explain or understand his emotions when it came to Soonyoung. It just is. That’s the way he feels – no more explanations needed.

When they were a few steps away, he angrily threw the bouquet at the first sight of the silver haired’s cheeky grin. Luckily, Soonyoung had caught it easily. Seungcheol never wanted to throttle someone to the ground so much at the moment.

“You stupid idiot!” he hissed. “Who told you to injure yourself!” he said, glaring menacingly at Soonyoung. “You dislocated your shoulder! How can you be so careless!” he continued. “You’re a dancer! You know how important your body is. I know you love performing but you should still be careful while you’re on stage! What if it wasn’t just a dislocated shoulder? What if it was worse?” He was pacing back and forth, trying to contain his anger for the stupid guy in front of him. He was seriously trying not to choke Kwon Soonyoung but the prat was making it oh so hard not to have a strike at him. “What are you going to do if you wouldn’t be able to dance!” he practically roared at the silver haired.

Soonyoung simply beamed. ‘ _The nerve of this cheeky bastard_ ,’ he internally grumbled. “You were worried,” the silver haired told him, smile widening. Seungcheol stopped at his tirade and stared at him, gawking.

“I-I wha- I,“ he spluttered. Soonyoung beamed even more. He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m your friend,” Seungcheol reasoned, trying to not blush. “Of course I’d be worried,” he quietly mumbled. But the damn silver haired had heard him.

A hand reached out to him and he was suddenly engulfed into an extremely warm hug, arms securely wrapped around his waist. “Thank you,” Soonyoung whispered into his ear. “Thank you for worrying about me.”

Seungcheol stood frozen, both shocked and overwhelmed by the unexpected hug. He didn’t know what to do. He was just too shocked to even move or utter a single word.

Soonyoung squeezed his waist and released him. Seunghceol swallowed the whine threatening to leave his mouth. The silver haired unexpectedly gives one of the best hugs. He oddly felt at home in his arms.

“And thank you for the flowers as well,” Soonyoung then said. “They’re beautiful,” he added with a wink.

It took every ounce of Seungcheol’s willpower not to melt onto the floor.

 

**

He stared at the starry night sky, basking in the moonlight with a beer in hand. They were at Johnny’s. His friends were inside drinking and simply bonding and waiting for midnight. It was a quiet affair; just a small Christmas party and a celebration for their friends’ performance. It oddly felt like a mini reunion because everyone was here. Even Jihoon bothered to show up.

Somehow he knew something happened with the blond. There was a subtle change in his attitude but his friend was keeping mum about it. He didn’t want to pressure Jihoon about it. Seungcheol knew the blond would tell him once he’s ready.

He took a sip of his cold beer and gazed at Draco. He was seemingly bright tonight, as if it’s happy about something. Seungcheol smiled at the fiery dragon. He felt oddly happy too.

He heard the sliding doors open. He glanced to his side and saw a mop of striking silver. Seungcheol felt his breathing stop.

Soonyoung stood at the balcony, staring straight at him. He has a smile playing on his face, his eyes were glinting. It wasn’t the usual mischievous twinkle though. No. It was different. Extremely different.

Words seem to fail for Seungcheol at the moment.

With the moonlight illuminating his silver locks, he was beautiful. Kwon Soonyoung was _certainly_ beautiful. He wasn’t the drop dead kind of gorgeous type. _Heck no_. Soonyoung has this unquestionable allure, a shroud of mystery which reels you in, a kind of gravity pulling you towards him, enchanting you, captivating you.

He was beautiful. Ethereally beautiful.

And when Soonyoung smiled that smile – that soft, soft, _soft_ smile which could melt anyone’s heart – Seungcheol then knew there was no escaping anymore.

He was in love. Irrevocably. Undeniably. Overwhelmingly.

Choi Seungcheol was in love with Kwon Soonyoung. There was no escaping reality anymore. It was a truth that could no longer be ignored. He couldn’t even if he wanted to. His feelings were just too real and strong to even consider running away.

Oddly enough, the realization felt like he was coming home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh I really suck at updating ///_\\\\\\) please forgive me T_T  
> I hope you liked this update though!  
> Until the next update. See you~  
> /A


	17. Fate and destiny

He stared at the silver haired, curious and quite intrigued. Soonyoung was leaning against the railing of the balcony, gaze looking up at the starry night sky. The moonlight illuminated his silver locks, making it look mercurial, ethereal. There was a glint in his almond eyes, the familiar twinkle quite alluring and captivating. A smile was also playing on his lips, the small curve on its tips catching his gaze. The sight before him was hypnotizing.

His chest constricted, making it slightly hard to breathe. Seungcheol internally cursed his heart for its mad stuttering.

Kwon Soonyoung was truly beautiful - breathtakingly and painstakingly so.

He felt like he had been struck by lightning. He stood, unmoving and unbelieving of the overwhelming feelings raging and running rampant inside of him.

Choi Seungcheol was in love. He was _in love_. He was in love with _Kwon Soonyoung_.

He honestly couldn't believe it!

Seungcheol looked away, feeling like the walls were closing in on him. The grip he has on his beer tightened, lips pursing pensively. He was sure the silver haired could hear the loud beating of his heart.

He then took a large gulp, making a face right after. The ice cold beer had warmed without him knowing. He glared at the little bottle.

A snicker left from the other occupant in the balcony. Seungcheol narrowed his eyes at the silver haired. The dancer shook his head, soflty chuckling.

“You're such a kid,” Soonyoung told him, smirk playing on his lips. Seungcheol crossed his arms over his chest. “I'm not,” he automatically refuted. He internally grimaced at the evident pout in his voice. The dancer stared at him, amusement swimming in his dark brown eyes and smirk widening even more. He obviously heard the whine too.

 _'Cheeky prat,’_ Seungcheol mentally grumbled.

He threw another glare at the silver haired before looking away. He leaned on the railing as well and stared decidedly at the night sky.

Thankfully, Soonyoung let him be.

 

**

“I missed this,” the silver haired said after a while of silence. Seungcheol turned to him, confused at his statement. “Missed what?” he asked, curious. Soonyoung shrugged his shoulders and took another sip of the special cocktail Taeil had concocted just for him. Funnily enough, the dancer has a low tolerance for alcohol despite his seemingly strong image. Not funnily enough, Seungcheol thought it cute.

“This,” Soonyoung vaguely answered, gesturing with his hands. “I've been busy with practicing for the showcase, I hadn't had much time to just relax and hangout.” Seungcheol made a face at him. “But we hanged out the entire week,” he countered.

Almond eyes met with doe eyes. Soonyoung looked at him, gaze seemingly calculating. “Yeah,” he breathed. “We did, didn’t we?” he faintly smiled.

Seungcheol cocked his head to the side, lips unconsciously frowning. The silver haired was staring at him with a strange expression on his face. Soonyoung looked torn – he honestly looked hurt. He didn’t like it one bit.

Without thinking, his hand reached out towards the silver haired. “What’s with that face?” he said, pinching the other’s cheek. “Did you not have fun while you were with me?” he asked challengingly. “We even became lunch buddies!” he added with a pout.

Soonyoung laughed and grabbed for his arm. He cheekily grinned at him. “No,” he answered with a shake of his head. Seungcheol was about to leave him but the dancer quickly pulled him closer, their faces only mere inches apart. Maybe Seungcheol had a mini heart attack at the closeness.

“I had fun,” the dancer then told him, smiling gently. “I always do whenever I’m with you,” he said, his voice soft and quiet.

It took a moment before the words registered in his overworking brain. Seungcheol pushed the silver haired away from him and huffed. “You cheeky little prat,” he grumbled, trying to push down the blush rising on his cheeks. The dancer obviously liked to tease him.

Soonyoung just laughed and tried to pull him close again. Seungcheol wanted to push him away again but the other’s cute whine had done it for him. So he let the silver haired cuddle to his side with the silver haired hugging Seungcheol’s arm and face leaning on his shoulder.

“I just feel nostalgic, that’s all,” he then commented. “It just feels like it had been months since I was with everyone,” he furthered.

He looked down and stared at Soonyoung closely. The silver haired was looking away from him, clearly evading his gaze. Somehow Seungcheol knew the other was talking about something else. He wanted to ask about it but somehow words were failing him.

Seungcheol took a deep breath and leaned against Soonyoung too, hand grabbing for the other’s. “You’re here now,” he said, his voice not above a whisper. “That’s all that matters now,” he added softly.

Soonyoung sucked in a breath, his hold on Seungcheol tightening.

“Yeah,” he replied. “And I won’t be leaving ever again.”

 

**

“Aww! Look at those two!” Taeil squealed in his seat as his unfocused eyes landed on the two cuddling outside the balcony. Everyone was watching Seungcheol and Soonyoung’s interaction with avid attention. “They’re so cute! I can’t wait for them to get married and have babies!” he added, leaning against Johnny.

The tall Finance major shook his head at the obviously drunk senior beside him. He pushed Taeil off of him and leaned against the couch. “You’re thinking way ahead into the future, hyung,” he chuckled, sipping his beer. “We’d be lucky if they’d started dating this lifetime!”

Taeil glared at the other and pouted. He stared at Jihoon and cocked his head to the side. “Is this alright with you?” he asked the Music major, titling his head to the side and looking at him closely. “Aren’t you and Cheol kinda dating?” he furthered.

Everyone then turned their heads to the elusive blond, quite curious of his answer.

Jihoon put down his beer on the table and rolled his eyes. “Again!” he huffed. “We’re not dating,” he grumbled. “We’re just close _friends_ ,” he emphasized.

Dongyoung snorted at his answer. “So what’s with the puppy love look Cheol always had for you?” he asked challengingly, eyebrow raised. “He always had that specific look like you’re the best thing that ever happened to him,” he explained. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. “You’re like the love of his life,” he added. “He’s obviously smitten by you.”

It was the blond’s turn to snort. “He wasn’t looking at me like that,” he denied, scrunching up his face in clear disgust. “He doesn’t feel that towards _me._ He never had,” he told them, feeling frustrated of getting cornered.

“But he does!” Taeyong piped up. “He always stare at you with heart eyes!”

Jihoon groaned. Why was he friends with them again? He took a deep, calming breath. He stared at everyone in room, gaze meeting everyone’s eyes so they could see he’s serious.

“Cheol never liked me that way,” he explained for the nth time. “We like each other – yes,“ he confessed. “But we don’t like _like_ each other. We don’t see each other in that way. We never will.”

They looked at him confused. Alcohol induced brain aside, they were clearly still unconvinced of his relationship with Seungcheol. They were clearly adamant he and his close friend were lovers – or had non-existent feelings for each other. Jihoon closed his eyes and internally screamed.

_‘Damn you, Choi Seungcheol for putting me in the spotlight!’_

He honestly couldn’t believe he had to explain Seungcheol’s attitude towards him.

He breathed in again, eyes making contact with the only person who seem to understand him in the room. He instantly looked away.

“Okay,” he admitted with a tired sigh. “Yes, Seungcheol does look at me with those puppy love eyes–“ There were a chorus of ‘I told you so’ from his friends but he ignored all of them and continued. “–but he wasn’t looking at _me_ ,” he told him, pinching the bridge of his nose. Jihoon could already feel the headache he’d have in the morning. He could also feel the growing confusion of everyone. “He was looking at the person _he_ thought _I_ was.”

He looked down and stared at his nails. “He wasn’t looking _at_ me. He was looking for someone _like_ me,” he added, briefly looking at the two people outside in the balcony.

He stared back at his friends and smiled at them. “He wasn’t in love with me,” he told them. “He was in love with someone else,” he furthered, turning to the balcony again. “He always had been,” he added, a smile now making its way on his face.

“Wait!” Taeil jumped from his seat and grabbed Jihoon’s face. He stared, wide eye at the blond. “Are you telling me,” he said, his eyes widening by the second. “That Seungcheol has been in love with Soonyoung even before meeting him?!” he asked, quite scandalized.

Jihoon shoved the elder away from him and made a face. His eyes met Wonwoo’s and looked away again.

“You’re a die-hard fan of destiny and fate, right hyung?” he asked the elder, a smirk now playing on his lips. Taeil dumbly his head at the question. “Then that’s it. No more explanations needed,” he answered.

Everyone still looked confused with his answer but they didn’t get to grill him any further since the topic of their conversation had now re-entered the room. They observed the squabbling two closely.

Seungcheol was grumbling something under his breath whilst ignoring Soonyoung’s insistent whining. The two didn’t look like they had just each other only a week; they looked like they had been together for years and years. Jihoon smiled at the scene. His friends were slowly going back to their old habits, to their old ways. They were slowly coming back to each other.

The memory charm was quickly fading with each passing day; he could feel it. It was only a matter of time for Seungcheol to finally remember. He just wasn’t sure if that’d be a good thing or not.

Jihoon was brought out of his reverie by a hand on his shoulder.

He looked up and saw cat-like eyes gazing down on him. A breath was caught on his throat.

“We need to talk,” Wonwoo told him quietly.

The blond just nodded tersely, jaw tense. “Come to my apartment,” he told the Sociology major, briefly looking at their friends. They were busy cajoling Taeyong and Soonyoung to do another dance battle. He looked back the other. “It’d be better with no one around.”

Wonwoo just nodded his head and went back to his seat as if their interaction did not happen at all. It honestly bothered the blond greatly.

Jihoon closed his eyes and breathed in, trying to calm his nerves. He opened his eyes and grabbed for his beer. He stared at the bottle, forgotten memories flashing across his mind.

“Fate and destiny huh,” he quietly mused. “It would have been nice if theirs won’t be like ours,” he mumbled, a forlorn smile stretching across his lips.

Unbeknownst to Jihoon and Wonwoo, Seungcheol saw the exchange. He stared at his roommate and at his friend. Somehow, something was telling him things would be unfolding soon. As to what it was, he wasn’t sure. Something was stirring and he wasn’t liking the foreboding feeling settling inside his bones. He bit his lip in worry.

His gaze then went to the silver haired dancing at the middle of the living room. Soonyoung was now laughing and joking around with Taeyong and Ten, the three dancers trying out the weirdest dance moves they could ever think of. Everyone was laughing at them and cheering them on.

 _I won’t be leaving ever again_ – that was what Soonyoung had told him. He doesn’t know what the silver haired was honestly talking about but somehow, those words alone could soothe the growing trepidation bubbling inside of him.

I won’t be leaving ever again.

I won’t be leaving.

Seungcheol smiled, his heart warming. He hopes against hope Soonyoung would never leave. He honestly hopes so.

Soonyoung was meant to be with them – with him. And seeing the silver haired being happy and content amongst his friends, Seungcheol would fight for it to be that way forever. He swears on it.


	18. Do you believe in magic?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sight reminded him of those summer days in London. Another painful throb to the heart.
> 
> Jihoon gathered himself. Their story was for another time. There were more pressing matters to attend to anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, hello! uwu

Silence hung in the air. It wasn’t the comfortable type of silence – no, it was the deafening kind of silence. Jihoon hated it. He vehemently detested it, especially if it’s a silence between them.

He glanced at the person sitting on his couch, the slender figure heartbreakingly familiar.

How many years has it been since he had last seen him? Decades maybe? Give or take, he surmised. It had been so long since he had laid eyes on his breathtakingly beautiful face. Pain throbbed inside his chest. He wasn’t the same person he had met eons ago. No. He was just a shell of the person he used to know. They had the same face, ironically with the same name too yet they were completely different persons. He still has that aristocrat aura he had hated and loved. His fingers were still long and pretty, making Jihoon wistfully long for his touch. He internally shook his head. He was not _his_ Jeon Wonwoo. No. He was not the person he had wholeheartedly loved. He never will be.

Sighing quietly, Jihoon put the pot of jasmine tea on a tray together with the other essentials and went to the living room. He laid the tray of tea and biscuits on his coffee table and daintily sat on the other side of the couch. If Wonwoo noticed his stiff shoulders, the Sociology thankfully didn’t call him out on it.

He gingerly took a bite of the biscuits Wonwoo had brought. Ironically, they were gingerbread. How plebeian, he thought with an amused scoff. It was Christmas after all, he supposed. Wonwoo was taking his time making his tea, adding milk and a touch of sugar on his jasmine. The sight reminded him of those summer days in London. Another painful throb to the heart.

Jihoon gathered himself. Their story was for another time. There were more pressing matters to attend to anyway.

He took a sip of his tea – no sugar, just milk – and waited for the other to break the ice.

 

**

It took about ten minutes for Wonwoo to finally speak. The Sociology major seemed to have gotten the hint that Jihoon would not utter a single word until he did. With a sigh, he put down his tea cup and stared at the blond, those piercing dark brown eyes enrapturing Jihoon like it did in the past. He mentally cursed his self for still feeling drawn by them.

“What did you mean last night?” Wonwoo started. He shifted on the couch to properly look at Jihoon. “What did you mean that Seungcheol was looking at you but not at _you_?” he expounded, his mouth twisting in slight confusion.

Jihoon faintly smirked. He put down his cup as well and turned his body to face the Sociology major. He cocked his head to side. “What did you think I meant?” he challenged.

Wonwoo released a somewhat combination of a chuckle and a huff. “Are you alluding that Seungcheol saw Soonyoung in you?” he asked, eyebrow raised. “I could see the similarities,” he commented. Jihoon huffed at that which resulted to a snicker from the other. “But it’s still a far stretch to _see_ someone else when you stare at somebody,” he explained. His brows furrowed together, lips pursing. “It’s just impossible.”

Jihoon could understand the confusion. He truly did. Yet there were still some things Seungcheol still didn’t know. Things were already unfolding and Jihoon wasn’t sure how his friend would handle once he’d find out about it. He was honestly scared when it was finally time to come clean.

“It’s not my story to tell,” he said, sighing softly. It truly wasn’t his right to explain what’s exactly going on – or what had happened. He frowned, somehow feeling torn.

He then stared at Wonwoo. “Are you worried about Cheol?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. He knew the Sociology cared about his friend but going so far as to ask a total stranger about it, was there something deeper? Was he – maybe – in love with Seungcheol and he’s worried someone else would sweep his friend off the ground before him? Was that it? That thought didn’t bode well for Jihoon. Somehow it struck a chord inside his heart.

“Of course I’d be worried,” Wonwoo answered with a snort. “Who wouldn’t?” he asked, eyebrow raised. “Seungcheol’s the kind of man who’d fall immensely in love with somebody,” he explained. “He’d give it his all – even _sacrificing_ his own happiness. As much as he doesn’t want to admit it, he’s a sucker when it comes to love. He’s a die-hard hopeless romantic.”

A bubble of laughter erupted from Jihoon’s lips. Tears were falling from his eyes he had to wipe them away. He shook his head, suddenly feeling silly with his earlier jealousy. Somehow Wonwoo’s answer soothed his anxieties.

He then stared at the Sociology major, eyes twinkling with amusement. “He’s a fool, isn’t he?” he commented, a smirk playing on his lips. Wonwoo dutifully nodded. “A complete, and utterly lovesick fool,” he quipped.

The two stared at each other, wide grins adorning their faces. Unexpectedly, their fondness for a certain Choi Seungcheol had become their common ground, _finally_ breaking the awkwardness that hung in the air. Somehow Jihoon could breathe better now.

He then stood up, a thought coming to mind. Maybe… maybe Wonwoo would help. Maybe with him on-board, Seungcheol won’t take too hard. He stared at Wonwoo’s curious gaze. He gave him a small smile, his mind decided.

“You know that I met Seungcheol in Busan, right?” he asked. The Sociology major nodded his head. “Yeah,” he answered. “With Junhui and Jisoo,” he added, following curiously the blond with his eyes.

Jihoon thoughtfully hummed as he went inside a bedroom. He then came out carrying a box. He laid the box on the coffee table and leaned back on the couch. “Open it,” he told Wonwoo, motioning towards the seemingly innocent box.

The Sociology major stared at Jihoon. “What’s inside it?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. Somehow the box was making him terribly curious. The blond casually shrugged. “Just pictures,” he vaguely answered. That made Wonwoo frown. “From your trip to Busan?” he probed. “I thought there weren’t any pictures?” he asked. “Seungcheol said their phones broke thus there weren’t any pictures at all,” he confusedly mumbled.

Jihoon shrugged again. “Maybe his memory was just fuzzy,” he nonchalantly replied.

His curiosity growing by the second, Wonwoo tentatively lifted off the lid and inquisitively stared at the numerous pictures and polaroid unexpectedly filling up the box. His eyes widened in surprise. He stared at Jihoon, his eyes showing how thrown off he was.

The blond nodded towards the pictures. “Take a look,” he urged him.

Wonwoo took a couple of the pictures and saw familiar faces smiling back at him. He had met Junhui and Jisoo, as well as Seokmin. The other person in the picture seemed to be Seungkwan if he remembered correctly.

He studied each and every photo, trying as he might to see what it was Jihoon wanted him to see. He was growing frustrated because all the pictures were the same. It was either Junhui with Jisoo, Jihoon with Seungcheol, Seokmin, and Seungkwan, or some other combination of the five of them. He was about to snap at the blond when a flash of silver hair caught his attention in one of the pictures. He stared at the picture closely, unbelieving of the grinning person staring back at him.

He felt Jihoon lean towards him, staring at the picture as well. His eyes met with the blond’s. Jihoon nodded his head, answering his silent question.

“H-how?” he managed to choke out. Wonwoo honestly couldn’t believe it at all. It was so surreal. He stared at the familiar face beside his friend and roommate. The silver hair was unmistakably his. The face, the smile, _everything_ – it was really Kwon Soonyoung in the picture.

Jihoon smiled at him, eyes twinkling unbelievably like the dancer’s. He cocked his head to the side, smile growing by the second. “Do you believe in magic, Wonwoo?”


	19. Christmas surprise

Seungcheol felt like a fish out of water. He was used to dressing up for occasions. His parents usually made him attend various functions. They were practically invited in each and every party and function held by their business partners and friends. Suits and ties, he had grown up wearing them. Yet tonight seemed to be one of those suffocating nights. He loosened his tie, breathing in deeply the December air.  He didn’t mind the chill that ran up his spine – he welcomed it to be quite honest.

Sounds of chatter and laughter flittered through, the spirit of Christmas overwhelmingly loud and clear as family and friends gathered. It was Christmas Eve and was a few hours away from midnight. Everyone was obviously enjoying themselves, aside from him.

He oddly felt detached from the merriment. His mind was elsewhere; daydreaming, wandering, searching. Physically, he was there yet his heart was off to God-knows-where. A sigh then escaped his lips. He honestly knew where it was – or where he most wanted to be.

Silver hair and crescent moon eyes came to mind.

It had been a few days since the showcase; days since the talk in the balcony; days since he had last seen that frustrating cheeky grin; days since he had last laid eyes on that annoyingly twinkling gaze. Another sigh left from him. He missed him. He missed Kwon Soonyoung. Terribly and achingly so.

He ruffled his hair in frustration. He hated how love-struck he was with the dancer. In just a month, the silver haired had taken hold of his mind, heart, and maybe as well as his soul. He was in love. Freaking _in love_ with _Kwon Soonyoung_ of all people! Seungcheol was royally whipped! He was man enough to admit that to himself. But he was still not man enough to actually admit it _out loud._

Admitting your feelings to yourself was freeing in itself but admitting it to others was a different kind of horror. He wasn’t scared to admit it because of the judgment he’d surely get, but more of on the fact that saying it oud loud could solidify the growing feelings he already has for the silver haired. Seungcheol knew it was futile but somehow keeping the feelings to himself was also a way for him to still deny the truth – even though he already knew wholeheartedly that it was true and clear as day. He’s just stubborn like that.

His thoughts were interrupted by Junhui’s voice. He almost forgot they were at his friend’s house for Christmas. Jun’s uncle was holding a party for family and friends, and Seungcheol’s family was obviously invited.

“I’ve been looking for you!” the Chinese said, eyes filled with relief. Seungcheol was sure his friend was worried about his disappearance. Although they haven’t talked about it, he was sure Jun had already noticed something was wrong with him.

Seungcheol smiled apologetically at his best friend. “Just needed some fresh air,” he poorly explained, shrugging his shoulders.

Jun clicked his tongue at him and grabbed for his arm. “You wouldn’t believe who’s here right now!” he said as he pulled Seungcheol back into the house. They walked through the long hallways – Jun’s house had always been huge, even after growing up together Seungcheol wasn’t still used to its expansiveness -  and greeted some of the guests along the way.

Even inside the ballroom – typical old money family house honestly – Jun still had a vice-like grip on his arm. Seungcheol was quite confused but maybe the ‘you wouldn’t believe who’s here!’ of Junhui was an idol of some sort. He’d never know really with Jun’s family parties. They’re practically on-par with royalty with their connections.

They approached a small group of people their age, Jisoo amongst them. Jun had thankfully let go of his arm before anyone could notice them. His other best friend saw him and beckoned him over. Seungcheol walked towards the other and _finally_ noticed the faces in the group.

Seokmin was there, as well as Seungkwan. Even Jihoon was there! A bright smile instantly light up his face. Their small group from the Busan trip finally had a reunion together. Somehow, his spirits were exceptionally lifted.

“You’re here!” he greeted them with a hug each. His friends returned the gesture. “We’re not the only ones here,” Seokmin then said, nodding his head behind Seungcheol. Curious, he turned around and instantly saw a mop of silver hair just a few meters away from them. Familiar silver hair was with his older sister and mother, talking and laughing together. His eyes widened in disbelief. Was this seriously happening?

As if feeling his gaze on him, doe eyes then met with almond eyes. His heart plummeted to his stomach. The silver haired enthusiastically waved at him. His mother and sister then turned towards him as well. The trio then started walking towards them.

Seungcheol stood frozen. He honestly couldn’t his eyes. Now he knew whom Junhui was referring to. Kwon Soonyoung. Kwon _freaking_ Soonyoung was here! He was honestly having a mental breakdown.

He felt someone shove him towards the approaching trio. Reeling in his shock, he went to meet them in the middle.

“I never knew you had such a sweet friend, Cheol-ah!” his mother gushed. She was looking at the silver haired, warmth evident in her eyes. His sister nodded her head. “Yeah,” she commented. “If I knew you were friends with this cutie, I would have pestered you to bring him over!” she added, squishing Soonyoung’s cheek.

Seungcheol gulped. That was a sight he wasn’t ready to see in this lifetime. He just gave his sister a smile, hoping against hope it didn’t look like a grimace.

“Oh come on, noona! If you’re talking about cuties, Seungcheol’s cuter than me!” Soonyoung countered, eyes twinkling at him. As much as he didn’t want the compliment to get to him, the flush on his cheeks betrayed him. Seungcheol glared at the dancer. “I’m not cute,” he told him, glaring even more when the silver haired cheekily raised a brow.

Soonyoung chuckled and hugged his arm. “Don’t be mad, Coups-yah,” he cutely whined.  “I won’t call you cute anymore,” he said, staring at Seungcheol with wide eyes. His glare ceased. “Oh?” he replied. The dancer nodded his head. “You’re not cute,” he said. “You’re adorable,” he added, grin widening.

His mother and sister laughed as a whine escaped from his lips. Seungcheol flushed even more. He glared at Soonyoung again. “Don’t call me cute or adorable,” he grumbled, pinching the other’s cheeks.

“Aif von’t cfall vfyou cfufte orf afdorfablef aif pfromifse (I won’t call you cute or adorable I promise!),” Soonyoung complied as he tried to stop him from pinching his cheeks even more.

Making sure the dancer won’t tease him anymore, he released his cheeks and patted them gently. “Good,” Seungcheol nodded, a smile tugging on his lips.

The dancer was then pulled away by the others. Soonyoung greeted his friends like they were old pals and had immediately melted into their small group. The scene honestly warmed Seungcheol’s heart. The silver haired was seriously making it so hard for him to stop his overflowing feelings.

He felt someone nudge his shoulder. He glanced to his side and saw Jun offering him a glass of cider. “He’s amazing, isn’t he?” his best friend said as he took a sip of his own drink. Seungcheol stared at him, eyebrow raised in silent question. Jun smiled and nodded towards Soonyoung. “He won over everyone in an instant,” he explained. “It took me months to win over your sister,” he added, chuckling at the memory of their childhood.

Seungcheol chuckled too. Choi Sooyoung was a hard shell to crack after all and Soonyoung – bless his soul – won her over in just one night.

“Yeah,” he breathed. “He truly is,” he said, affection clear in his voice.

Embarrassingly, he cleared his throat. He took a glance at Jun and noticed he was staring at him closely. He quickly looked away and gulped. He closed his eyes, cursing his self. Jun was inquisitive. He was sure his best friend had already concluded that Seungcheol liked the silver haired.

He quietly sighed. It was only a matter of time before someone would find out after all. He just hoped that time wouldn’t be _soon_. Or worse, Soonyoung would find out about it.

Now _that_ alone was scarier than his sister’s wrath.


	20. I’ll wait a million lifetimes for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I will come back to you soon, my love. Just wait a little longer.”  
> “I’ll wait for you even if it takes me a million lifetimes, Hoshi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been bumming for months. Gomen ne T_T

Seungcheol twisted and turned, huffing frustratingly as sleep continued to hide away from him. He was exhausted – physically and emotionally. After the high of Christmas spent with his family and friends, his energy seemed to have been completely drained.

There were numerous laughter and merriment. He had enjoyed himself, honestly. With the addition of Soonyoung in their group, Seungcheol seriously couldn’t hope for a better holiday. And to think Jun and the silver haired were related! It was honestly an interesting discovery for everyone.

With sleep hiding from him, Seungcheol decided to get some fresh air. He got up from bed and took a thick jacket and a scarf. He opened his window and climbed out towards the roof. He sat down on the snowy roof and stared up at the starry night sky. He took in the chilly December night breeze.

It had been a while since he had come to visit his hometown. He hadn’t had the time to visit when he started university – it oddly felt it had been a lifetime since he had sat down on their roof and stargazed. Somehow his heart felt heavy.

“When was the last time?” he thought out loud. A soft chuckle escaped from him. “Wasn’t it before we went to Busan?” he murmured.

He shook his head as memories from their trip flashed through his mind. He closed his eyes, imagining he was at the beach of Busan. He could somehow hear the waves crashing along the shores and feel the salty breeze caress his face. A small smile appeared on his lips as he reminisced their time in Busan.

Suddenly, a dull ache slowly crept inside the confines of his chest. Seungcheol slightly frowned. It had always been like this. Every time he’d try and remember their vacation, his heart would feel a strange sense of longing, of desperation, of emptiness.

He hadn’t mentioned any of this to his friends because he couldn’t explain as to _why_ he’s feelings these things exactly. There was just this bittersweet feeling slowly bubbling and he would always retreat whenever it does. He was scared; achingly scared as to the reason his heart felt so broken.

Heaving a sigh, he laid down and closed his eyes. The cold was slowly seeping in inside his body but he paid it no mind.

Under the moonlight and bright stars, Seungcheol was lulled to a deep sleep.

 

**

“You’re really stubborn, aren’t you?” a voice spoke, his tone filled with amusement. He felt warm hands wrap around his cold body. He nuzzled into the warmth, breathing a contented sigh. “Because I know you’re watching over me,” Seungcheol sleepily mumbled.

The person chuckled, his laughter causing a tingling sensation for Seungcheol. “You’re really cheeky, aren’t you my little Coups?” he heard them reply. “What if I didn’t come to get you?” the other challenged. “You’d have frozen to death!” Seungcheol shook his head, chuckling lightly. “No, you won’t,” he confidently answered. Even with his eyes closed, Seungcheol knew the other person had his eyebrow raised him.

Slowly opening his eyes, he reached out towards the other and caressed their cheek. His vision was a bit hazy from sleep but he could make out the outlines of the person warmly hugging him. There were streaks of bright silver, their hair seemingly like moonlight. “Because you’re my star,” he softly murmured, eyes close to tears.

Breathing in, he tenderly wiped a stray tear from the other. “Please come back to me, my star,” he whispered, heart shaking with utter sadness. “Please don’t leave.”

Warm arms tightened around him. Doe eyes met with almond orbs. Seungcheol’s heart constricted in pain. He didn’t want for this person to leave him ever gain. He didn’t want to feel empty again.

“I won’t,” the other strongly told him. “I won’t leave you alone anymore,” he promised. “I will come back to you soon, my love. Just wait a little longer.”

With tears rolling down his face, Seungcheol merely nodded his head and smiled. “I’ll wait for you even if it takes me a million lifetimes, Hoshi.”

 

**

When Seungcheol woke up, he was on his bed. His jacket and scarf was hanging off a chair near his desk. He touched his face and felt the faint dry streaks of his tears. He took a pillow and hugged it tight.  His heart was hammering wilding inside his chest.

Somehow, Seungcheol could faintly remember his dream from last night. He was at the roof and he was talking with someone with silver hair. The shock of mercurial was quite familiar. _Intimately_ familiar.

“Was it really a dream?” he murmured, confusion clouding his mind.

He stared out the window. Snow had already piled up from last night. Determination then gradually flashed in his eyes.

Despite the ache tugging at his heart, a small flower of hope had blossomed inside of him. Despite the fear, Seungcheol was feeling a strange sensation overwhelming his entire body. There was a warmth, tender and precious, which was somehow slowly melting the rigid and frozen confines of something hidden inside. He could feel it in his bones. He was close to grasping it – _that_ feeling – he was close. Really close.

And maybe, just _maybe_ , those familiar almond eyes would be the key.


	21. Grasping old memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Like how the seas continued to roar in the vast ocean, the stars continued to twinkle in the winter night sky.
> 
> Seungcheol trudged on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been too much of a bum these past months ugh ;u;

A lone figure stood at the shores, the biting December air hitting his face continuously and unforgivingly. The cold was slowly creeping in, seeping inside his bones. He paid it no mind. Snow had accumulated everywhere – his clothes, his hair, the shores – yet his eyes remained solidly determined. His mind which had been chaotic eventually calmed down, his inner storms gradually surrendering to his stubborn will for a standstill. Finally, a foot was lifted and the lone figure started walking.

The waves still continued to crash along the shores. Like how the seas continued to roar in the vast ocean, the stars continued to twinkle in the winter night sky.

Seungcheol trudged on.

 

**

“Where are you going?” Jun asked him as he saw the duffel bag in his hands. He was just about to leave when the other had suddenly entered his room. Seungcheol smiled at his best friend. “Somewhere I needed to be,” he simply answered.

The Chinese stared at him, inquisitive eyes obviously trying to read his mind. Seeing the obvious determination in Seungcheol’s gaze, he helplessly sighed and shook his head. “I guess we should have seen this coming,” he muttered, smiling wryly at the other. “It was only a matter of time anyway.”

Seungcheol questioningly raised a brow at him. “What do you mean?” he asked, somewhat confused with his words. Jun shrugged his shoulders and took a seat on the edge of his bed. “You’ve changed,” he answered, drawling the words lazily. “Ever since we came back from Busan, you’ve seriously changed,” he furthered.

A woeful smile stretched across Seungcheol’s lips. “I know,” he stated, sighing under his breath. He really couldn’t hide anything from his friends. He was _that_ obvious. He gazed back at Jun, the corners of his lips curving upwards. “That’s why I must go back.”

“What about Soonyoung?” Jun suddenly asked, surprising Seungcheol a bit. The latter shook his head, understanding what the other meant. “He doesn’t deserve an empty Choi Seungcheol.”

Jun stared back at him, the unwavering determination twinkling and dazzling in his friend’s familiar doe eyes. “Take care,” he simply told him. “And come back whole again,” he added.

 

**

Taejongdae was one of the sights he and his friends had visited that summer. He planned on retracing their steps, going back to the sights one by one they had visited in order to further understand or to try and discover what had happened, what had transpired, which have resulted in this feeling of loss and emptiness. He knew doing this might not lead to the answers he wanted or seek, but Seungcheol was stubborn. He was dog-headed and there was hardly anything that could make him change his mind. He was adamantly hell-bent on unraveling the mystery.

Albeit the steep cliffs, Seungcheol braved the rocky path and trekked upwards onto the top. As the winds whistled and hit his face bitingly, he persistently continued on.

He could distinctively hear the crashing and rolling of waves from down below. Crashing and rolling, crashing and rolling, crashing and rolling – the cycle of waves was endless, ceaseless, boundless. Seungcheol stood at the top, listening and feeling everything around him. Gathering his chaotic thoughts, he closed his eyes. He breathed in and released it slowly.

A blur of an image passed through Seungcheol’s mind. It was only a glimpse, a short flash of _something_ , but he knew he was already a step closer to unraveling the truth. A sliver of hope glimmered in his restless gaze. He could vaguely discern the blur. It was only a matter of time for things to clear.

He then fixed the scarf wrapped securely around his neck. Without another word, he went down the path and walked on.

 

**

His past days went the way it did in Taejongdae. He visited the other places, his heart filled with both anxiousness and anticipation.

In each and every sight, there would always be a blur in his memories; a distinctive silhouette hiding from his consciousness. He tried to tightly grasp on that blurry image, trying and trying and trying as he might to desperately remember its face but to no result.

As his visit gradually came to an end, Seungcheol then knew it was a person – a person of utmost important. There was no rhyme or reason, he could just clearly feel it. He could feel it in his bones, in his mind, and his heart. He just knew they were significant.

 

**

On his last day, Jihoon and Wonwoo surprisingly came to his hotel room. Seungcheol stared at the two with wide eyes, confusion clear in his gaze. “What are you two doing here?” he asked them, brows furrowed tightly together. He wasn’t that surprised to see either of the two but what he was surprised about was because the two came together. As far as he knew, they barely knew each other. It was fairly quite unexpected.

Wonwoo then handed over a small box. “Giving you a hand,” the Sociology major plainly answered as Seungcheol distractedly took the box from him. The latter was honestly getting more confused by the second. Will his friends join him on his soul searching? He somehow felt awkward at the thought.

Seeing the strange expression on his face, Jihoon then helplessly sighed and pulled Wonwoo inside the room. Seungcheol unconsciously followed them in.

The two then sat on the bed, side by side, and stared at Seungcheol. After a while of silence, the blond finally spoke.

“The answers you seek-” Jihoon started. “-it’s all in the box,” he stated.

Seungcheol felt his heart lurch from his chest. He thickly swallowed. The sliver of hope in his eyes started to glimmer even more. His restlessness, the emptiness, the loss of self – Seungcheol could practically feel the weight of everything getting lifted off of his shoulders. Anticipation was slowly building up in his insides. He stared at the box in his hands, feeling it getting heavier and heavier the longer he stared.

A scary thought then came to mind. It was as if he has Pandora’s Box.


End file.
